Arsenal depart it late to remain in Champions League driving seat | EUROtoday

Wasteful Arsenal left it late however ultimately pressured their method to victory over Aston Villa and took a serious step in direction of clinching a Women’s Champions League qualification spot.

The guests spurned a plethora of probabilities, particularly within the second half as they peppered the hosts’ aim in the hunt for a winner. For  lengthy spells it seemed as if they had been going to drop extra beneficial factors on the highway. But they lastly discovered a means by way of with six minutes left.

It was England centre-back Lotte Wubben-Moy whose header ultimately put Arsenal forward, half an hour after Victoria Pelova had cancelled out Ebony Salmon’s expertly taken first-half strike for the hosts. Arsenal substitute Stina Blackstenius controversially added a 3rd aim, firing in after she had seemed to be in an offside place, however by then the sport was received.

Wubben-Moy’s aim got here from Arsenal’s thirty fifth effort on aim of the match, and their twelfth on track, whereas in distinction Salmon’s strike was Villa’s sole effort. Villa goalkeeper Anna Leat had saved brilliantly from Pelova and Wubben-Moy earlier within the second half, whereas Frida Maanum and Alessia Russo had each hit the woodwork.

Victory put Jonas Eidevall’s third-placed facet eight factors away from fourth-placed Liverpool and 9 higher off Manchester United in fifth, with 5 video games left. Only the highest three sides within the WSL will progress to subsequent season’s Women’s Champions League.

The kick-off at Villa Park, initially scheduled for six.45pm, was delayed by 45 minutes due to visitors issues for the guests, whose earlier league recreation – a 3-1 loss at Chelsea that vastly broken their title probabilities – was delayed by half an hour due to an uncommon conflict of socks.

Villa beforehand surprised Arsenal by beating them away at Meadow Park final May, however at residence, they’ve by no means claimed some extent in opposition to the north Londoners within the WSL. Their supervisor Carla Ward watched Sunday’s fixture from the stands as a result of she has been feeling unwell and didn’t wish to move any sickness on to her workforce.