Arsenal: Borbe; Holmberg, Wubben-Moy, Codina, Hinds; Little, Mariona; Smith, Russo, Kelly; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Votikova, Van Domselaar, Fox, Mead, McCabe, Pelova, Harwood
Arsenal have strengthened their chances at qualifying for the Champions League after beating West Ham 5-0 at the Emirates. With Manchester United slipping up in the week and Chelsea slipping up today, Arsenal have closed the gap on both and have games in hand.
Renée Slegers made four changes to the team that beat London City Lionesses last week. Emily Fox and Katie McCabe dropped to the bench, while Leah Williamson and Frida Maanum were unavailable. Smila Holmberg, Taylor Hinds, Laia Codina, and Stina Blackstenius came into the lineup.
Arsenal made a fast start and took the lead after four minutes. Kelly took on Endo on the left, and then crossed. Blackstenius got the slightest touch to help the ball in. 1-0.
It was nearly 2-0 on 11 minutes. Smith was played in behind and she beat Cascarino in the penalty box. She cutback for Russo, whose goalbound shot was blocked by Hansen.
It should’ve been 2-0 5 minutes later. Russo’s shot from the edge of the area was parried out by Szemik. That came to Smith, whose left-footed shot was hard but straight at the goalkeeper. The rebound, though, came straight to Kelly, and she shot over.
Kelly then crossed from the right, and the rebound came to Mariona, who shot over from close range with her left foot.
It’d been all Arsenal in the first half hour, and Arsenal created another chance on 28 minutes. A slick move on the counter saw Mariona play a through ball for Blackstenius. She had work to do, carrying the ball into the box and shooting with her left foot, with Szemik blocking the shot behind for a corner. A minute later, Smith drove past Belloumou and cutback, and Blackstenius, unmarked, hit the crossbar from close range.
On 44 minutes, Codina’s pass found Russo between the lines on the edge of the box. She turned and shot, but her shot was wayward.
Remarkably, at half time, Arsenal had 14 shots to West Ham’s 1, but the scoreline remained just 1-0 to Arsenal.
The second goal would come shortly after the restart. Holmberg played a one-two with Smith, and crossed from the byline to the centre where Russo met the cross and headed home from close range. 2-0.
Arsenal kept up the pressure, and Smith seized upon a loose ball and athletically struck a volley that struck the underside of the bar before bouncing out.
Arsenal would get the third on 55 minutes. Mariona found Blackstenius, who laid the ball off to Kelly just outside the D. Kelly shifted onto her left foot and then fired her low shot into the far corner. 3-0.
A minute later, Blackstenius was played in over the top. She drove toward goal and delayed taking her shot, allowing Nystrom to get back, and through a combination of a tackle and potentially a foul, deny Blackstenius a goal. Nystrom was injured in the challenge, and received over 10 minutes of treatment.
During the delay, Arsenal made three changes. Beth Mead, Victoria Pelova, and Emily Fox replaced Alessia Russo, Kim LIttle, and Stina Blackstenius.
On 71 minutes, Mariona intercepted Zelem’s pass, and found Kelly on the left. She shot, but the shot went into the side netting.
Mead, playing as a #10, almost made instant impact, shooting just over the bar after jinking past two in the penalty box.
On 78 minutes, Katie McCabe replaced Mariona Caldentey.
Kelly made it 4-0 on 80 minutes. West Ham tried to play out from inside their own penalty box. Siren’s pass to Hansen put her under pressure Kelly blocked her pass, took a touch to set herself, and then fired past Szemik. 4-0.
Beth Mead made it 5-0 on 90 minutes. Fox and Mead combined on the right, and then from the edge of the penalty box, Mead and Holmberg played a neat one-two, and Mead fired her left-footed shot into the far corner. 5-0.
There were 14 minutes added on.
Borbe, who had nothing to do all game, unconvincingly came for a West Ham cross and flapped at it, resulting in a corner. Borbe dealt with the ensuing cross far better, claiming it after the initial corner was cleared.
In the 96th minute, Sophie Harwood made her Arsenal debut, replacing Olivia Smith.