Arsenal Women
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal Women opened their 2025/26 Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) campaign in style with a 4-1 victory over newcomers London City Lionesses at Emirates Stadium, in front of 38,000 fans.
The European champions were stunned early when London City, making their WSL debut, took the lead in the 17th minute. Captain Kosovare Asllani converted from the penalty spot after Katie Reid’s foul, recording the Lionesses’ first-ever goal in the competition.
Arsenal, however, roared back with a moment of brilliance. Record signing Olivia Smith, the world’s first £1 million female footballer, marked her debut with a thunderous long-range strike on 29 minutes. The Canadian forward skipped past María Perez before firing into the top corner, drawing the Gunners level and igniting the crowd.
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The turnaround was complete in first-half stoppage time when Alessia Russo’s clever play set up Chloe Kelly to slot home at the near post, sending Arsenal into the break with a 2-1 lead.
Arsenal Women - Olivia Smith
Olivia Smith scored a stunning goal on her full Arsenal debut (Image credit: Getty Images)
After the restart, the Gunners controlled proceedings, though London City’s defence anchored by veteran Saki Kumagai, stood firm until late on. Arsenal’s depth proved decisive, with substitutes Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Frida Maanum combining to add two more goals in the final minutes. Mead delivered two pinpoint assists, becoming the first player in WSL history to reach 50 assists.
Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers praised her side’s response and highlighted Smith’s stunning debut strike: “It was a fantastic individual action from Olivia, and a lot of players had good moments. We have a strong squad, and we want to compete for all trophies.” The win marked Slegers’ ninth consecutive WSL home victory, a record in the league’s history.
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The Gunners’ dominance was reflected in the numbers, generating 1.92 expected goals (xG) from 20 shots compared to London City’s 0.93 from five attempts. Smith’s display earned her the WSL Player of the Match award, while Russo and Kelly also impressed.
Arsenal now top the WSL table after the opening weekend and will face West Ham United on September 12. London City Lionesses play their first home WSL match on September 14 against Manchester United.
The result underlines Arsenal’s intent to reclaim the league title for the first time since 2019, while London City’s spirited debut suggests they could grow into credible challengers in the months ahead.
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