Arsenal: Borbe; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Codina, Hinds; Little, Mariona; Holmberg, Maanum, Smith; Russo
Substitutes: Van Domselaar, Votikova, Mead, Kelly, Foord, Pelova, Blackstenius
Arsenal have guaranteed Champions League football for next season after beating Aston Villa 3-0. The result leaves Arsenal in third, a point behind Chelsea with a game in hand.
Renee Slegers made 3 changes. Anneke Borbe came into goal, Smila Holmberg moved to right wing as Emily Fox returned to right back and Mariona came into midfield.
Arsenal started strongly, putting Villa under pressure and playing the game in the final third, specifically down the right with Holmberg. On 4 minutes, the pressure paid off. Holmberg drove down the right and crossed to the middle. D’Angelo palmed the cross straight to Russo. Her header beat D’Angelo and went with some help from Maritz on the goal line. 0-1.
On 20 minutes Hanson beat Wubben-Moy on the left of the the penalty box and crossed for Salmon at the far post, who headed int the ground but right at Borbe.
On 24 minutes Holmberg crossed for Smith at the far post, whose volley across was claimed by Maanum. Following that, D’Angelo, trying to play out, passed straight to Maanum in the box but she couldn’t get enough power on her shot and D’Angelo saved.
Arsenal doubled the lead on 35 minutes with a carbon copy of the goal from Wednesday night. Russo dropped as Codina passed to her, turned, and with the outside of her boot fed Maanum who was making a run behind. She slotted her right footed past D’Angelo. 0-2.
Hinds, playing high and wide, passed around the corner for Smith on the inside, sending her through, but her shot was straight at D’Angelo, who blocked it.
Arsenal nearly made it 3 in first half stoppage time. After Hinds was fouled, Holmberg’s delivery into the box found an unmarked Maanum in the box. Her header was down but D’Angelo parried behind.
On 47 minutes, Daly intercepted Wubben-Moy’s pass in midfield and slipped Hijikakta behind. She and Codina grappled with each other, and Codina went down in the box, with the referee giving the free kick to Arsenal.
Two minutes later, Salmon and Maltby combined on the left, and Salmon’s cross hit the the outside of the post.
Arsenal made it 3 on 52 minutes. Smith and Mariona combined on the left before Smith played inside to Maanum in space. She then found Russo in behind. Russo took the ball around D’Angelo and then slammed in her left-footed shot for her second. 0-3.
On 59 minutes, Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius replaced Holmberg and Russo.
The two substitutes nearly combined for a goal on 61 minutes, as Mead’s pass around the corner found Blacsktenius, but with the angle tight, the shot was straight at D’Angelo.
From Mead’s corner, Wubben-Moy’s header was blocked. The ball came back out to Smith, who took the ball down with her chest and then struck a shot on the half-volley, with Taylor blocking it and sending the effort over the bar.
On 69 minutes, Victoria Pelova and Chloe Kelly replaced Kim Little and Smith.
Pelova, having just come on, tested D’Angelo from range. It was neat play in the buildup: Villa gave the ball away, Mariona passed to Blackstenius who flicked the pass inside to Pelvoa who shot, forcing D’Angelo into a sprawling save.
Blackstenius should’ve made it 4-0 on 74 minutes. She was onside as Maanum played her in, and from the left of the box, could’ve passed to an unmarked Mead but chose to shot, and shot high and wide.
Kelly had two efforts on 77 minutes from outside the box: the first shot was blocked, and the second was low and lacking power, and D’Angelo saved.
On 85 minutes, Caitlin Foord replaced Mariona. Mead moved to 10 and Maanum moved into central midfield.
4 minutes were added onto the second half.
On 93 minutes, Mead’s corner was fumbled by D’Angelo, and the ball fell to Hinds. She took a touch, and hit a low shot that D’Angelo cleared off her line with an outstretched foot, and Kelly’s follow-up went wide of the post.
Villa, looking for a consolation in the final minute, attacked through Salmon. She crossed, Wubben-Moy cleared, and the referee blew for full time.