A stoppage time wonder goal from Cloe Lacasse dragged Arsenal out of a potential crisis in a pulsating clash with Manchester United on Friday night that saw the two sides pay tribute to Lady Cathy Ferguson.
The Gunners were heading for back-to-back Women’s Super League defeats for the first time in their history before substitute Lacasse fired an equaliser into the top corner past a helpless Mary Earps.
Despite signing a new three-year contract earlier this week, boss Jonas Eidevall had been under pressure coming into last night’s game. Arsenal were beaten on the opening day of the season by Liverpool and had crashed out of the Champions League at the qualifying stage.
Had Arsenal lost, their chances of winning the title would have been all-but over. Chelsea dropped just eight points on the way to lifting last year’s title. This is a league with little margin for error. The Gunners have already dropped four – but they will just be grateful it is not six.
Both sides wore black armbands in memory of Ferguson after her passing, and, after taking the lead through Stina Blackstenius in the 27th minute, two defensive errors gifted Leah Galton and Melvine Malard goals to put United 2-1 ahead.
Cloe Lacasse scored a stunning stoppage time equaliser to ensure Arsenal drew against Manchester United on Friday
Alessia Russo (left) was booed on her return to United after leaving the club to join Arsenal in the summer
The players wore black armbands during the game as a mark of respect following Lady Cathy Ferguson’s passing
It was a mixed return to Manchester for Alessia Russo, who was booed from the moment she got off the Arsenal bus until the moment she got back on. The forward worked hard and played her part in the first goal, but failed to silence the crowd with a strike of her own. In the end, it did not matter.
The Gunners started strongly and opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Blackstenius was played in down the left by Steph Catley and out-paced Hannah Blundell before placing a calm finish past Earps.
With so much talk around the battle between David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale to be Mikel Arteta’s No 1, Eidevall is having his own dilemma in the goalkeeping department. It was the worst kept secret that Arsenal had tried and failed to sign Earps from United in the summer.
Leah Galton (pictured) scored for Manchester United against Arsenal on Friday after Stina Blackstenius’ error
Arsenal had tried to sign United’s Mary Earps in the summer but failed and now have a goalkeeping problem
Jonas Eidevall has singed a new long-term deal to remain Arsenal manager but has taken just a point from his first two games of the season
Manuela Zinsberger’s shaky display against Liverpool saw Eidevall react by dropping the Austrian for Sabrina D’Angelo. It was one of six changes from the opening day defeat and a big call from the Gunners’ boss – one that did not pay off.
In the 27th minute D’Angelo gifted United their equaliser. The goalkeeper came rushing out to clear Gabby George’s over-hit pass but completely missed the ball, leaving Galton with an empty net to finish into.
United had a great chance to take the lead at the start of the second half when Maya Le Tissier’s through ball found Geyse in the box, but the forward’s finish flew just wide of the far post.
Melvine Malard appeared to have given United all three points on her WSL debut when she netted just minutes from time
Russo’s first moment to silence the home crowd came in the 67th minute. The forward had found space on the left and just had Earps to beat, but her strike was kept out by the out-stretched boot of the United goalkeeper.
Her second effort came even closer to finding the net. Russo twisted and turned past Blundell before curling a shot against the top of the post.
Moments later one of United’s new strikers found the net at the other end. There was miscommunication at the back as Amanda Ilestedt tried to shepherd the ball back to D’Angelo, but the defender failed to outmuscle Malard who stretched out a right boot to flick the ball into the back of the net.
That had looked as if it would be the winner until Lacasse’s moment of magic three minutes from time. The forward turned past Blundell before firing an unstoppable shot into the top left corner. Eidevall and the Arsenal bench erupted. The manager knows how crucial that goal could prove to be in both his team’s and indeed his own future.
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