Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe; Pelova, Mariona; Mead, Russo, Foord; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Borbe, Williamson, Holmberg, Catley, Hinds, Maanum, Little, Kelly, Smith
Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey both scored as Arsenal ended the season with a 3-1 win against Liverpool. The win means Arsenal have finished second in the WSL, with Arsenal going straight into the league phase of the Champions League next season.
Renee Slegers made 3 changes. Daphne van Domselaar returned to goal, and Caitlin Foord and Stina Blackstenius came into the team with Frida Maanum and Olivia Smith dropping to the bench. Laia Codina, Victoria Pelova, Beth Mead, and Katie McCabe all started for the final time in an Arsenal shirt, with McCabe captaining the side.
Arsenal started well, with Falk saving Blackstenius’ low shot, and McCabe also getting into the penalty box but seeing her cutback cut out.
Liverpool then built nicely back to front, and Bergström, pushing on from right back, shot but straight at Van Domselaar, who held the shot.
Mead and Fox combined on the right and Fox was played into space. She found Blackstenius in the centre, but she took too long to turn and she lost the ball.
On 14 minutes Fox was played in again. This time Pelova passed to her on the right and Fox got behind Bernabe. From a narrow angle she tried to beat Falk at her near post, but her shot was straight at Falk.
Arsenal should’ve taken the lead on 20 minutes, as Fox’s excellent ball set Foord away down the middle, but, one-on-one with Falk, the shot was too close to her.
A minute later, Arsenal did take the lead. Russo crossed from deep and Blackstenius jumped but didn’t touch the ball as it bounced in front of Falk and through her legs. 0-1.
Arsenal continued to pour on the pressure, and Fox and McCabe combined in the middle, and McCabe’s backheel set up Blackstenius from range, but her shot was pushed behind by Falk.
Russo had a shot from distance pushed behind by Falk, and from the corner, on 32 minutes, Arsenal scored again. McCabe went short to Mariona, Mariona returned the ball to McCabe, and McCabe drove to the edge of the box. She then slipped the ball back to Mariona, who from a close angle fired past Falk. 0-2.
On 37 minutes it was three. Russo held the ball up well and shifted to Foord. She played wide to Mead, who held the ball and then found Pelova on the overlap. Pelova cut the ball across the box for Russo, who slammed her finish past Falk and into the far side of the net. 0-3.
Foord got into the box and had two chances to shoot but couldn’t pull the trigger.
Three minutes were added on to the end of the first half.
At half time Taylor Hinds replaced Wubben-Moy, with McCabe going to centre back.
Foord’s good cross-field pass found Mead but she couldn’t get a shot away.
On 58 minutes, Olivia Smith replaced Mead and Frida Maanum replaced Blackstenius.
Liverpool won a corner on 74 minutes, and from the corner they pulled a goal back. Clark won the header at the far post, Russo attempted to clear but her clearance went off a Liverpool player, with Russo claiming handball, and Shaw steered the ball in. 1-3.
On 78 minutes Chloe Kelly replaced Foord.
Kelly’s first involvement was to cleverly play a pass behind for Maanum but Maanum wasn’t quite on the same wavelength. Russo then ran onto a Liverpool backpass, intercepting on the goal line but she couldn’t find a teammate in the box.
On 84 minutes Mariona drove through midfield and passed to Fox. Her through ball found Pelova, who took the ball around Falk but from a tight angle shot over.
In the 90th minute, Arsenal made their final change. Steph Catley came on for Katie McCabe, drawing her Arsenal career to a close.
5 minutes were added on to the end of the match.
In the fourth minute of added on time Kelly’s long ball found Smith, who burst behind the Liverpool defense, but her shot from a narrow angle went into the side netting.