A dramatic 78th-minute strike from Arsenal forward Stina Blackstenius secured a captivating 4-3 away triumph over Manchester City on Sunday, reigniting the Gunners’ slim title ambitions. However, Chelsea maintained their position at the top of the table following a narrow 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.
Chelsea, who handed Arsenal a significant setback just a week prior, now sit seven points ahead of second-placed Manchester United, who kept up the pressure with a 1-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the day’s late fixture.
Arsenal’s victory propelled them past Manchester City into third place on 27 points, just three behind United, while City remain two points adrift in fourth after a thrilling opener.
Mariona Caldentey set the tone for the Gunners with a goal just 42 seconds into the match, and they doubled their lead seven minutes later when defender Lotte Wubben-Moy scored with a header from a free kick.
Mary Fowler responded for City with her first of two goals in the 20th minute, nodding in from close range at the back post. Five minutes into the second half, Vivianne Miedema equalised in a frenetic start to the period.
A minute later, Frida Maanum regained the lead for Arsenal, but their delight was quickly dampened when Steph Catley was deemed to have fouled Aoba Fujino. Despite the contact seeming to occur outside the area, a penalty was awarded, which Fowler converted to bring the score to 3-3.
As City sought a late winner, they introduced striker Khadija Shaw, but it was Blackstenius, the Swedish international, who stole the spotlight. After several missed opportunities, she capped off a brilliant performance by finishing a pass from Beth Mead to clinch a well-earned victory for Arsenal.
With nine league matches remaining, goal-scorer Caldentey expressed satisfaction in her team’s resilience following their defeat to Chelsea. “We really needed a win today after last week’s result. Our goal is to be at the top and strive to win every match,” she commented to Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, in Birmingham, Chelsea encountered a tough contest against a determined Aston Villa. Despite their attacking talent, the London side required a fortunate 82nd-minute own goal from Villa’s Sarah Mayling to secure the three points.
At the bottom of the 12-team table, Crystal Palace earned a crucial point in a 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, while 11th-placed Leicester City faced a challenging 4-1 loss to Everton.
On the opposite side of Merseyside, Liverpool’s Leanne Kiernan netted the match’s sole goal, enabling the Reds to defeat West Ham United 1-0.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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