**Arsenal:** Borbe; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe; Pelova, Mariona; Mead, Maanum, Smith; Russo
Substitutes: Votikova, Van Domselaar, Williamson, Little, Kelly, Foord, Hinds, Blackstenius, Holmberg
Arsenal have strengthened their chances of finishing second in the WSL after beating Everton 1-0. Stina Blackstenius scored the winner in the 93rd minute, with Arsenal avoiding a disappointing result in their final home game of the season. The result puts Arsenal two points ahead of Chelsea with one game left this season.
Three changes were made to the team that beat Aston Villa on Saturday. Beth Mead and Victoria Pelova, playing their final home games, replaced Smila Holmberg and Kim Little, and Katie McCabe replaced Taylor Hinds. Alessia Russo captained the side.
Arsenal had an early chance through McCabe’s cross. The cross was aimed for Maanum, but the clearance came to Russo and she volleyed high over.
A slack backpass from Borbe almost caused trouble but Mariona rescued the situation and Arsenal countered quickly. Maanum played wide left to Russo who then passed to Mead on the edge of the box. She shot but well wide of Brosnan’s far post.
On 16 minutes, Fox swung in a cross with her left foot. Mead leapt highest, and her header beat Brosnan but struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced out.
Two minutes later Russo was played through by Maanum and shot just wide of the far post, and Russo was also flagged for being offside.
On 27 minutes, Wheeler intercepted Wubben-Moy’s pass into midfield. With Borbe off her line, Wheeler tried to lob Borbe but the lob went onto the roof of the net.
Mead hit the bar again on 33 minutes. Arsenal took a free kick quickly, and Pelova twisted and then passed inside to Mead. She struck her shot well, and it was curling above Brosnan but smashed off the crossbar.
Codina put the ball into the net on 48 minutes on the second phase from a corner but it was flagged for offside.
Smith became the third player to hit the woodwork on 53 minutes. Maanum passed to her in space on the left, Smith drove inside, and beat Wheeler before shooting, but her shot hit the crossbar.
Smith drove inside again and cutback to the middle but the resultant shot from Russo was straight at Brosnan.
Smith then was passed to by Pelova, and her shot was straight at Brosnan.
On 64 minutes, Beth Mead was taken off to a standing ovation. She was replaced by Caitlin Foord. Emily Fox was also replaced by Smila Holmberg.
On 76 minutes Arsenal made a further double change. Stina Blackstenius and Chloe Kelly replaced Maanum and Smith.
Russo had a good chance on 82 minutes. Wubben-Moy passed wide to Foord, whose cross picked out Russo in the centre but she was off-balance and headed wide.
Borbe came well off her line in the 83rd minute to cut out a searching Everton long ball.
Vignola, collecting a long ball, turned on the edge of the area, and shot but Wubben-Moy blocked the shot behind for a corner.
Five minutes were added on.
In the first of 5 minutes, Foord won a corner after her shot was blocked. Before the corner was taken, Leah Williamson replaced Laia Codina.
The first corner was cleared but Arsenal kept the ball coming into the box, and Mace headed behind a cross intended for Russo. The ball was cleared from Holmberg’s corner, but Foord crossed into the middle for Wubben-Moy, who headed the ball in. Brosnan got a hand as she punched, and collided with Williamson, and the loose ball came to Blackstenius, who with her left foot, hit a bouncing shot into the far corner. [1-0](https://streamin.link/v/5ef8c616).
Brosnan required treatment, which meant the came went beyond the allocated 5 minutes, but with Arsenal taking the ball down the touchline, the goal was the final significant touch of the game.