**Arsenal 2-0 West Ham United women's team**
**Pre-Season Match, Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park, Wednesday 27 August 2025, 7pm BST**
A second-half brace from Frida Maanum meant **West Ham United women’s team** fell to a 2-0 defeat away at Arsenal in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday night.
The game was firmly in the balance with less than 20 minutes remaining, but the Gunners’ No12, who was sent on at half-time, struck twice in quick succession.
After a well-placed header back across goal on 73 minutes, Maanum volleyed home from inside the box to earn her side the victory at Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park.
The first half was evenly contested with clear-cut chances few and far between, but the Gunners started brightly, winning a number of set-pieces after intelligent blocks from Shelina Zadorsky and Oona Siren.
England international Chloe Kelly tried her best to inspire her side to an opener inside ten minutes, but her teasing delivery from the right-hand side evaded everyone in the penalty area.
Despite Arsenal enjoying possession in the early stages, it was the Hammers who carved out the first meaningful opportunity of the evening. A wicked Verena Hanshaw corner found Riko Ueki at the back post and the No9 stooped well to send a header at goal, but Daphne van Domselaar made a smart stop at her near post.
Up the other end, Kinga Szemik was called into action. Arsenal delivered a left-wing free-kick that Ueki inadvertently sent towards her own goal and the Poland international got down quickly to palm the ball away from danger. Ten minutes later, a Victoria Pelova strike from the edge of the area rolled wide of Szemik’s right-hand post.
As the first 45 drew to a close, Skinner’s side worked their best move of the half as midfield duo Siren and Katrina Gorry linked up nicely with neat, one-touch passing. Eventually, the latter broke in behind and flashed a ball across goal but Van Domselaar was on hand to get a decisive touch and steer the ball clear of any West Ham bodies in the area.
Both managers made changes at the break, with Skinner bringing on Amber Tysiak, Anouk Denton and Ffion Morgan in place of Eva Nyström, Yu Endo and Manuela Paví.
The substitutes all played their part in a well-constructed team move at the start of the second half, with Siren, Gorry and Viviane Asseyi also involved. Eventually, the latter tried to play Ueki through on goal with a long ball over the top, but it ran through to the grateful grasp of Van Domselaar.
But midway through the second period, the hosts turned the screw. After Pelova came inches away from breaking the deadlock with a deflected effort, Maanum popped up inside the area to give the Gunners the lead, latching onto Jenna Nighswonger’s clipped delivery with a well-placed header.
And soon, Arsenal had a second when the Norway international volleyed past Szemik with less than ten minutes to play.
Our No1 was on hand to make sure Arsenal didn’t add a third in the dying stages, as she stuck out her right boot to deny Taylor Hinds with a brilliant stop from close range.
**Arsenal:** Van Domselaar, Fox (Reid 46), Wubben-Moy (Codina 46), Catley (Hinds 46), Little © (Nighswonger 46), McCabe (Harwood 64), Kelly (Maanum 46), Foord (Mead 46), Pelova (Lia 82), Russo (Smith 46), Cooney-Cross
Subs not used: Zinsberger (GK), Wellesley-Smith
Goals: Maanum 73, 81
**West Ham United:** Szemik, Endo (Denton 46), Nyström (Tysiak 46), Zadorsky (Belloumou 64), Hanshaw, Gorry ©, Siren, Asseyi (Wandeler 64), Paví (Morgan 46), Piubel, Ueki
Subs not used: Walsh (GK), O’Hanlon (GK), Houssein, Brown, Cemal
**Referee:** Lisa Benn
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