A Goal of the Season contender from Olivia Smith and a late Stina Blackstenius winner saw us earn a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Barclays Women's Super League on Saturday.
### FIRST HALF
Frida Maanum had an early sight of goal and her shot took a little deflection before bouncing into Faye Kirby’s gloves, and Beth Mead’s following inswinging free-kick was a good one, but again Kirby was equal to it.
Mead’s corner was then headed towards goal by Lotte Wubben-Moy, but it was too central to trouble the Liverpool goalkeeper.
Moments later, Wubben-Moy played a ball over the top for Alessia Russo and she got the better of Gemma Evans before crossing for Smith, whose delivery was flicked on by Mariona Caldentey and Kirby got down to her bottom right to save.
Mead’s next corner was taken short towards Mariona on the edge of the area, and her cross was headed onto the far post by Wubben-Moy.
Then, the moment of magic in the 16th minute, as Smith ran rings around the Liverpool midfield, shrugging off three challenges to make some space and smashing the ball into the bottom left from distance for 1-0.
With just under half an hour played, Russo’s cross from the right sailed onto the roof of the net as she tried to catch Kirby out.
But, at the other end, the visitors equalised with their first chance of the game, Beata Olsson finding herself in on goal and tucking the ball past debutant Anneke Borbe for 1-1.
### SECOND HALF
We looked lively at the start of the second half as the ball was given away to Mariona and she found Russo, who created an opening and struck wide of the target.
Hinds’ cross for Russo was then met first-time but Kirby reacted well to parry the ball past the post for a corner.
Mead’s 56th-minute corner reached Russo at the far post but her cushioned effort was denied, before we made a triple change with just over half an hour left on the clock, with Katie McCabe, Caitlin Foord and Blackstenius coming on for Hinds, Maanum and Mead.
Smith continued to look like our most threatening outlet down the right and it was her 66th-minute cross that was cleared only as far as Foord, who couldn't keep her attempt below the crossbar.
Renée Slegers then made another change as Kyra Cooney-Cross made way for Kim Little, who was returning from injury.
McCabe fired over on the volley after the ball fell kindly to her from Mariona’s right-wing cross as we kept up our hunt for a second goal, and it was Mariona who continued to pull the strings when she put Blackstenius through on goal but the flag was raised for offside.
Blackstenius had a great chance to score moments later, going one-on-one with the goalkeeper and taking the ball around her, but Evans got back to make a crucial block for Liverpool.
But, in the 87th minute, Blackstenius controlled a ball over the top from Fox really well before turning and smashing it into the top right on her left foot for 2-1.
Into seven minutes of added time, Smith went off to a standing ovation as she was replaced by Laia Codina, and we held onto the lead to earn three important points.
### WHAT’S NEXT
UEFA Women’s Champions League football returns to Meadow Park, where we host FC Twente at 8pm on Tuesday, December 9. [Get your tickets!](https://embed.futureticketing.ie/c/arsenal-women/)
After that, we have our first ever WSL match at Goodison Park to look forward to, as we take on Everton at 12pm on Saturday, December 13.
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