Live Blog: Arsenal Women face Bristol City in the Women's Super League
Arsenal return to action after beating Chelsea to win the Conti Cup at the end of March
14 April, 2024 17:22
Freddie Cardy at Meadow Park
Freddie Cardy at Meadow Park
Arsenal Women are back at Meadow Park to take on Bristol City. Credit- WellOffside
Live BLog Sunday Apr 14th
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Full time: Arsenal 5-0 Bristol City!
90+3' Youngster Reid has looked very comfortable on debut in defence! 5-0
90+1' Four minutes are added on. 5-0
89' Blackstenius is denied again by Bentley at her near post. 5-0
86' Katie Reid replaces Williamson, as the youngster comes on for the first time after being recalled from her loan at Watford. She can't keep the smile off her face! 5-0
80' Laura Wienroither is back on the pitch for the first time since injuring her ACL in May of last year! She replaces Emily Fox. 5-0
79' 3,565 is the official attendance at Meadow Park. 5-0
78' Former Gunner Evans is replaced by Ward. 5-0
76' A strong block by a Bristol City defender denies Russo her hat-trick! 5-0
73' Goal! Russo with a lovely first-time finish into the bottom corner. 5-0
69' Something of a goalmouth scramble from Bristol City's corner but Arsenal somehow can clear the danger. 4-0
68' Furness, Layzell and Bull come on for Syme, Stratigakis and Powell. 4-0
67' A busy night for Bentley in goal continues as she tips over Fox's effort that looked destined for the top corner. 4-0
66' One way traffic. Little wriggles through the defence and her shot is saved. 4-0
63' Wubben-Moy is denied superbly by Bentley after the ball broke nicely inside the penalty area. 4-0
62' Foord and Mead are replaced by Lacasse and McCabe. 4-0
61' Russo is then played one on one with Bentley but the goalkeeper saves well from close range. 4-0
59' Goal! That could be goal of the night! Russo bends the ball into the top corner from the opposite side of the box for Arsenal's fourth. 4-0
56' Brilliant recovery tackle from Catley to prevent what could have been a certain goal from Syme for the Robins! Shouts for a handball against Arsenal are then waved away. 3-0
56' Mead is on the hunt for a hat-trick as she spins on the edge of the box and fires over. 3-0
54' Bentley pushes away a cross before Russo's delivery goes through everyone in the box. 3-0
51' Another Bentley save as she holds Pelova's long-range shot. 3-0
49' Mead flashes a cross across goal (no pun intended) and it's cleared. 3-0
48' Little to report so far as both sides look to find their flow. 3-0
46' The second half is underway. 3-0
Arsenal are unchanged for the second half
Pleased to confirm that Frida Maanum is in attendance at Meadow Park.
37,000 tickets have been sold for Arsenal Women v Leicester at the Emirates next Sunday.
Vivianne Miedema is kicking a ball around at half time, let's hope she can return from injury before the end of the season.
Vivianne Miedema is kicking a ball around at half time, let's hope she can return from injury before the end of the season.
Arsenal are in firm control against bottom side Bristol City at the break thanks to Mead's brace and an own goal from Rodgers.
Half time: Arsenal 3-0 Bristol City
45+2' I've spotted Jonas Eidevall at the back of the East Stand in the directors seats as he serves a touchline ban. 3-0
45+1' Three added minutes. 3-0
43' D'Angelo palms away the resulting corner before Williamson clears the second ball. 3-0
42' First real chance for Bristol City as Stratigakis' header is just wide via a deflection. 3-0
38' A series of tackles and blocks prevent Mead, Pelova and then Fox from getting a shot away. 3-0
37' Russo floats a ball over the top but Blackstenius can't bring it down in the box. 3-0
35' It goes down as an own goal from Powell. 3-0
34' Goal! Catley's cross takes a big deflection off the Bristol City defender and loops over Bentley into the net. Goes down as an own goal. 3-0
32' Goal! Mead has a brace. Her first shot is blocked on the line but the England forward again can slam home the rebound. 2-0
30' Another chance for Blackstenius but she fires just wide of the far post. 1-0
27' Excellent build-up play again from Arsenal and Russo drives an effort into Bentley's hands. 1-0
24' Little with a right foot like a traction engine from the edge of the box but her shot is just over the crossbar. 1-0
20' Arsenal go very close- again Blackstenius' effort is saved before Fox's shot is just wide. 1-0
18' Blackstenius picks up possession in the box and her shot is denied by an excellent save from Bentley. 1-0
16' Evans makes a good run in behind and Wubben-Moy has to intercept Morgan's pass. 1-0
14' Nice idea from Catley who looks to thread the ball inside to Foord but the ball is just slightly over-hit. 1-0
13' Lovely to hear some big chants serenading Frida Maanum coming from the North Bank. The midfielder could feature against Leicester next week, but today was a game too soon for the Norwegian. 0-0
11' Pelova hits the crossbar with a curling effort after a well-worked corner! 1-0
11' Little finds a pocket of space on the edge of the box and slides through Catley, who's shot is blocked. 1-0
9' An ideal start for Arsenal who have Foord to think after a brilliant run ultimately made that goal happen. 1-0
6' Goal! Foord does well to get into the box and her shot is saved at the near post, but Mead tucks in the rebound to put Arsenal ahead. 1-0
4' Evans is leading the line for the away side with Thestrup in the number ten role. 0-0
2' Catley breaks into the box from the corner and finds the sidenetting. 0-0
1' Important tackle from Rodgers to deny Blackstenius and Arsenal have an early corner. 0-0
1' We're underway after a chorus of North London Forever. 0-0
We're all set for kick-off. Arsenal in red and white, Bristol City in all black.
Here come the teams to the sound of London Calling!
The teams are in the tunnel...
An inflatable tyre is being thrown around in the North Bank to pay homage to Arsenal's Continental Tyres League Cup victory against Chelsea!
Both teams will remain in their positions in the table regardless of the result today- Arsenal 3rd, and Bristol City 12th. It's all about securing Champions League football for the Gunners now.
Steph Catley has been commemorated pitchside after recently bringing up her 100th Arsenal appearance.
Steph Catley has been commemorated pitchside after recently bringing up her 100th Arsenal appearance.
The Gunners have finished their warm-up and have gone back down the tunnel.
Arsenal v Bristol City is the only WSL game today- Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will face off at Wembley after winning their FA Cup semi finals earlier.
Arsenal now trail 2-0 to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Jonas Eidevall serves a one match touchline ban tonight, so the Arsenal head coach will be watching on from the stands. Eidevall was booked for celebrating on the pitch after Stina Blackstenius' winning goal in the Conti Cup final.
It's another sellout at Meadow Park, with Arsenal supporters looking forward to their final trip to the Emirates in the WSL next season a week today. The Gunners will take on Leicester City in N5.
Arsenal and Bristol City are out to warm up here at Meadow Park.
Top scorer Amalie Thestrup starts for Bristol City, who have former Arsenal forward Lisa Evans in the starting eleven too.
Stina Blackstenius and Alessia Russo start together, with Russo likely to play in the number ten role and Blackstenius upfront.
However, Arsenal are without Laia Codina and Kyra Cooney-Cross- the former pulled out of Spain's squad halfway through the international window.
As I exclusively reported on Thursday, Teyah Goldie is nearing a return from injury having played 45 minutes for Arsenal's U21s in the international break, and the defender makes the bench this evening.
Bristol City subs: Yanez, Clark, Struck, Layzell, Furness, Bull, Jones, Ward, Slocombe.
Arsenal subs: Zinsberger, McCabe, Lacasse, Wienroither, Goldie, Lia, Reid.
Bristol City: Bentley, Powell, Rodgers, Aspin, Connolly, Napier, Syme, Stratigakis, Morgan, Thestrup, Evans.
Arsenal: D'Angelo; Catley, Wubben-Moy, Williamson, Fox; Little, Pelova; Foord, Russo, Mead; Blackstenius.
Team news is five minutes away. Could Laura Wienroither make her return to the starting lineup? The defender was called up by Austria but did not play in the international break.
Visitors Bristol City have a game in hand on West Ham but are seven points adrift at the bottom of the table, staring down the barrel of relegation back to the Championship.
Whilst Mikel Arteta's side are looking to go top of the league, here at Meadow Park there is little sign of a title race. Arsenal are nine points behind table-toppers Manchester City, and are pretty much nailed on to finish third in the WSL.
I'm sure plenty of you will be watching along as Arsenal play Aston Villa in the Premier League- it's goalless at half-time.
Good afternoon and a very warm welcome to Meadow Park. I'm Freddie Cardy, and I'll be bringing you all of the action as Arsenal Women host Bristol City.