Report: Arsenal 5-1 Leicester City (inc. goals)

Arsenal: Zinsberger; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Mariona; Mead, Maanum, Foord; Blackstenius
Substitutes: Williams, Ilestedt, Reid, Nighswonger, Wälti, Cooney-Cross, Pelova, Kafaji

Arsenal have moved to 3 points behind Chelsea after beating Leicester City 5-1, with the Gunners also moving 3 points ahead of Manchester United in third.

With Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly, and Daphne van Domselaar all missing through injury, Stina Blackstenius, Beth Mead, and Manuela Zinsberger all started. Kim Little started with Mariona Caldentey in midfield, while injury meant Arsenal only named 8 substitutes.

Arsenal started on top and took the lead inside 10 minutes. From a throw, Little drove inside and passed to Maanum. She went back outside, and exchanged passes with Fox before crossing from the right hand side of the box for Foord, who volleyed with her left foot. 1-0.

Arsenal made it 2-0 on 16 minutes with a swift move. Williamson passed directly into Foord, who had moved centrally. She slipped the ball through to Mead, who crossed to Blackstenius, who finished first time. 2-0.

At the other end, Zinsberger saved from Cain’s left-footed shot.

Foord made it 3-0 on 31 minutes. McCabe, penned in on the touchline, got out of pressure and found Mariona. Mariona drove inside before releasing Foord, who played a one-two with Blackstenius. From the edge of the box she shot, with the strike taking a nick and flying past Leitzig in goal. 3-0.

Blackstenius could’ve extended the lead, as she nutmegged Leitzig, but the ball rolled across the face of goal.

McCabe saw her cross block, before Maanum, on the follow up, saw another dangerous ball put behind for a corner, from which Foord was late to react to the second ball. At the other end, Williamson dealt with a dangerous cross, before Tierney, picking up the loose ball, shot from range, which Zinsberger gathered easily. Leicester tried getting Chossenotte, who caused Arsenal issues when the two teams met at the King Power, away on the break, but Fox, using her pace, recovered and won the ball back.

On the stroke of halftime, Blackstenius fired over from close range.

Arsenal made a double substitution at halftime, with Lia Wälti and Victoria Pelova replacing Caitlin Foord and Frida Maanum. Pelova went to #10 and Mariona went to left wing.

Bott got away on the right hand side after a one-two with Cain, and cutback to the penalty spot, looking for Momiki. Williamson, though, stepped across Momiki and cleared.

Little and Mariona combined, and Mariona stepped past Bott, and shifted the ball onto her left, before firing wide of the near post. Cayman then blocked Mariona’s next shot off the line, with Leitzig beaten.

Beth Mead made it 4-0 on 62 minutes. Williamson played wide to Mariona, who passed infield to Little. Using McCabe as a decoy, Little twinkled through the Leicester defence, before crossing with her left foot for Mead, who headed down and past Leitzig. 4-0.

Momiki pulled a goal back on 66 minutes. Chossenotte, on the right, beat McCabe and crossed back. The cutback took a touch, before coming to Momiki, who shifted and shot low, into the far corner, leaving Zinsberger helpless. 4-1.

Following the goal, Kyra Cooney-Cross replaced Kim Little and Katie Reid placed Steph Catley.

Pelova restored Arsenal’s 4 goal lead on 69 minutes. McCabe, taking a free kick from the right, drove the ball into the box. It rebounded off the post, and Pelova, from the clearance, fired a controlled left footed volley into the far side of the net. 5-1.

Blackstenius drove into the box, and shifted to force Howard away from her but pulled her shot wide.

On 82 minutes, Amanda Ilestedt replaced Leah Williamson.

Pelova almost added a second goal in the 87th minute, running onto Mariona’s scooped pass but shooting straight at Leitzig.

After a long spell of possession, McCabe crossed, but Blackstenius headed over.

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