Live Blog: Arsenal Women face Leicester City in the WSL- Maanum's curler gives Arsenal lead after McCabe misses early penalty
After Champions League heartbreak in midweek, Arsenal Women return to league action as they take on in-form Leicester at Meadow Park
Live BLog Friday May 5th
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The scoreline suggests a closer game than it really was- Arsenal should have been more clinical, starting with the penalty save from McCabe, but ultimately the three points are all that mattered, and what a goal it was from Frida Maanum. I'm off to hear from head coach Jonas Eidevall, with player ratings up now on the website! See you on Wednesday night as Arsenal travel to Crawley to face Brighton.
FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Leicester City
99' Teenage striker Michelle Agyemang is introduced with a minute to go for the second time in a few days, coming on for Kuhl. 1-0
Wubben-Moy heads away well up against Baker and Pelova is back to mop up- she never stops running. 1-0
Lia Walti is flattened by CJ Bott, who apologises to the Swiss midfielder but will be yellow carded. 1-0
Good work again by Taylor who has been chasing the ball down relentlessly. She wins a throw in up high and Leicester clear, but straight out for another Arsenal throw as the Gunners look to close the game out.
Leicester finally applying some real pressure before a shot is driven at D'Angelo, who takes her time to dive over the ball before kicking long. 1-0
92' Free kick over on the right wing, level with the edge of the Leicester area. McCabe swings it towards the near post and Mace heads behind for a corner. 1-0
92' Nice work by Pelova to play through Maanum but her shot is more of a toe-poke and Leitzig makes the save. 1-0
91' A minimum of ten minutes added time. Let's hope the trains back home are regular! 1-0
89' The attendance is 3,982 at Meadow Park. 1-0
88' Deep cross from Mace which Baker swings a foot at and misses at the back post. 1-0
86' The North Bank is in great voice as Arsenal inch closer to an important three points. There will be plenty of injury time however. 1-0
85' Double change for Leicester as Ava Baker and Missy Goodwin are introduced. 1-0
84' Good corner from Mace and D'Angelo comes out but misses the ball, before Arsenal clear for another corner. Leicester have been clinical from set pieces recently so Arsenal need to be careful with their slender lead, but Rafaelle heads away well. 1-0
82' Off the CROSSBAR! It's almost perfectly struck by Maanum but just too high- Leitzig may have got a touch to it. 1-0
81' Walti is up and Maanum will have another chance with a free kick, this time from a slightly wider angle. Four in the wall. 1-0
80' Walti takes a slap to the face from Howard and is down on the edge of the box. Arsenal have the free kick ready and waiting when she recovers. 1-0
75' Maanum comes forward and lines up another strike, it's a powerful one that dips and swerves and Leitzig does well to palm it over. Gio is on for the injured Catley. 1-0
74' The ball bounces into the stand and Katie McCabe screams at the fans to not give it back quickly... 1-0
73' Maanum's free kick didn't have enough power to challenge Leitzig, who jumped to her right to make the save. 1-0
72' Handball from a Leicester defender as Maanum chipped the ball through to Taylor, who got a shot away into the sidenetting. Emily Heaslip gives Arsenal the free kick after playing advantage. 1-0
72' Catley is up and jogging to the sidelines after the stoppage. Gio is preparing to come on for Arsenal. 1-0
70' Catley is lying down on the turf and receiving treatment, not what Arsenal will want to see. 1-0
69' Taylor headed the ball down from the corner and it falls to Rafaelle a yard out from goal, but she was in an offside position. 1-0
67' Pressure on Leicester to respond after they held firm for so long. Arsenal have a corner as they look to quickly double their lead. 1-0
65' GOAL! It's another Frida Maanum rocket- she finds a bit of space and bends a shot perfectly into the top corner, what a strike! 1-0
61' D'Angelo again had to be quick off her line after a mix-up with Wubben-Moy, but the goalkeeper blocks the ball from Cain, not for the first time tonight. 0-0
60' Catley at left wing back from the bench and McCabe left wing. Catley tries to pick out Taylor but Leitzig is quick off her line to gather. 0-0
58' Straight swap upfront for Arsenal as Jodie Taylor comes on for Stina Blackstenius. 0-0
57' Another Leicester header, another D'Angelo save. It was Tierney again and the keeper had to get down low to keep it out. She stays on the floor and Jen Beattie is replaced by Steph Catley. 0-0
56' Really well worked again by Maanum and Pelova before Blackstenius finds Kuhl, who again instead of shooting squares the ball and Leicester can clear. 0-0
55' Ruby Mace floats a long free kick into the box and Whelan gets a head to it but it's an easy save for D'Angelo. 0-0
54' Good from Leicester and Tierney diverts her cross into the shins of Beattie to win Leicester their first corner. It's headed away before Cain is pulled up for simulation, trying to win a free kick of McCabe. 0-0
51' Foul throw by Noelle Maritz in the Leicester half gifts the Foxes possession. Wonder how long it will be before Arsenal look to introduce some fresh legs- many of these players ran their hearts out for 120 minutes on Monday evening. 0-0
50' Blackstenius is tugged back but manages to continue into the box, but Pelova and McCabe can't convert before the latter makes a good run but is flagged offside. 0-0
48' Foul from Plumptre and that's the first yellow card of the game. Somehow. 0-0
46' UNDERWAY for the second half. 0-0
Both teams are unchanged for the second half, and we're ready to go again for a second half that could have big permutations at both ends of the WSL.
The Meadow Park crowd make themselves heard as Arsenal come out for the second half.
Arsenal have Catley, Gio, Taylor, Goldie, Agyemang and Reid as well as GKs Zinsberger and Marckese on the bench, whilst Leicester have GK Lambourne as well as Jones, Siemsen, Goodwin, Purfield, Paker, Smith, Robinson and Reavill all available to bring on.
You cannot fault Arsenal's attacking tactics- they've found plenty of ways to hurt Leicester, from Maanum and Pelova's runs from deep to McCabe and Maritz bombing forward, but Arsenal's finishing has been lacking. It's a young team that did most things right in that first half but Arsenal have to make things count in the second.
Arsenal have dominated the first 45 minutes but have been wasteful in front of goal. Leitzig's penalty save to deny McCabe early on was a good one and the Gunners have been frustrated by the Foxes
HALF TIME: Arsenal 0-0 Leicester City.
49' Cain chips the ball forward for Pike but her cross is met by Arsenal's Beattie. 0-0
48' The current Arsenal skipper looks to be ok to continue with half time just around the corner. It's not often she comes out worst off from a tackle! 0-0
46' McCabe is down after a strong challenge. 0-0
46' 4 minutes added on at the end of the first half. 0-0
43' The chances keep on coming for Arsenal! Another important block to deny Pelova after McCabe bombed down the left flank. 0-0
41' Wubben-Moy's clearance is scuffed away and almost into the press box. Plumptre strides forward but Arsenal again win the ball back. 0-0
40' Blackstenius is shoved to the floor on the left wing. Maanum swings in the free kick and it's headed away well by Sophie Howard. 0-0
36' It was nearly Jen Beattie once again! The corner found Pelova, who slipped the ball to McCabe and her cross went deep to Beattie at the back post, but she couldn't find enough power with her header and Leitzig made the save. 0-0
36' Hannah Cain is down on the halfway line and being attended to. 10 minutes left of the first half, and Arsenal will be rueing McCabe's penalty miss early on. 0-0
35' Maanum plays a nice one-two with Maritz and then drives her shot wide, but it was deflected so Arsenal have a corner. 0-0
33' Leicester venture forward with their captain Aileen Whelan into the box but there was no real cutting edge and Arsenal regain possession. 0-0
31' Best chance of the game and Kuhl has put it wide! Kuhl had a simple task but she manages to curl the ball past the far post after another swift attacking move where Pelova played through Maritz. 0-0
29' Blackstenius across to Kuhl in the box, who then shifts the ball to McCabe instead of going for goal herself, and the attack comes to nothing. I think McCabe was keen to let the 19 year old know that she should have pulled the trigger there. 0-0
27' Maanum breaks into the box but her shot is blocked before Pelova launches into a perfect sliding tackle to win the ball back, but again Leicester have enough bodies back to prevent any further danger. 0-0
26' This time the free kick is given as Pelova is pulled back following a sublime flick past her marker. "Thank you for watching" sing the Arsenal fans in the direction of Emily Heaslip. 0-0
25' Blackstenius is held and blocked off by Cain as Arsenal try to attack but the referee somehow waves play on. A quiet spell in this game as Leicester enjoy some possession. 0-0
22' Good work by D'Angelo again as Hannah Cain ran in behind to a bouncing ball over the top, but the goalkeeper made herself big and made the save. 0-0
19' Maanum bursts past Green but her pass can only find the heels of Pelova, who inadvertantly finds Maanum again but she can't work a shot. 0-0
18' Lovely attack from Arsenal as Maritz is found out wide but Blackstenius' shot is driven into a crowd of Leicester players and the resulting corner is cleared. 0-0
18' Interesting to see how tight former Spurs midfielder Josie Green is getting to Lia Walti in the middle of the park- following her every move. 0-0
16' Good run from Blackstenius down Leicester's right side but Ruby Mace is back to tackle the Swedish striker. 0-0
12' CJ Bott fouls Kuhl and Arsenal can just take a breather. They've been on top in these early exchanges but that saved penalty will clearly galvanise Leicester. 0-0
7' McCabe's penalty is SAVED by Leitzig! Fantastic stop from the German diving down to her right. The rebound falls to Rafaelle but her shot is blocked. 0-0
6' Hannah Cain injured herself in the process of fouling McCabe there, and she's now back up. McCabe to take... 0-0
4' Maanum drives through the middle before finding Kuhl, who laid the ball off to Blackstenius but Leicester were able to defend well. Corner for Arsenal, Katie McCabe drives into the box and is tripped, and Arsenal have a PENALTY! 0-0
1' Arsenal have stuck with their back 5- Kuhl in for Catley as McCabe drops back to left wing back. 0-0
1' UNDERWAY! Arsenal in red and white, Leicester all blue. Josie Green kicks off.
We now hear the fantastic North London Forever, Arsenal's anthem, and we're ready to go for kick off!
The national anthem will be played before kickoff- both teams line up around the centre circle.
The two sides are shaking hands and going through their final preparations.
A reminder of the two teams. Arsenal: D'Angelo, Wubben-Moy, Beattie, Rafaelle, Maritz, Walti, Maanum, Pelova, McCabe (C), Kuhl, Blackstenius. Leicester: Leitzig, Nevin, Tierney, Bott, Pike, Whelan (C), Green, Howard, Plumptre, Mace.
10 minutes to go until Arsenal Women vs Leicester gets underway at Meadow Park!
Arsenal are making a special presentation on the pitch for Jen Beattie, who made her 150th appearance for the Gunners against Manchester United last month.
Katie McCabe also shared her thoughts on Arsenal's ACL injuries in her programme notes, writing "When an ACL injury happens you're in disbelief. When it happens three times in once season to three real key members of your team, you're almost scratching your head and thinking "Why us? Why the girls" They're absolutely flying in their careers for club and country and it's just so unfair."
There was plenty to talk about at Jonas Eidevall's press conference, but plenty of the conversation was focused on Arsenal's fourth anterior cruciate ligament injury of the season, with Laura Wienroither the latest victim. Eidevall called it "a tragedy for the player: https://www.onlinegooner.com/articles/view/it-s-a-tragedy-for-the-player-jonas-eidevall-discusses-laura-wienroither-s-acl-injury
Lina Hurtig returned from a foot injury and came off the bench in the second half in the defeat to Wolfsburg on Wednesday, but the Swede doesn't make the squad tonight, with academy products Michelle Agyemang and Katie Reid on the bench.
It's some coaching lineup that Jonas Eidevall has built up as we watch the warmups at Meadow Park. Swedish coach Patrick Winqvist has had a real impact on Arsenal's set piece routines, whilst the club have recently appointed club legend Kelly Smith as part of the coaching staff too, as well as the aforementioned Lydia Bedford.
Wins against Liverpool and Reading have lifted Leicester off the bottom of the WSL and up to tenth, two points clear of the relegation zone. The Foxes lost their first 9 games of the season, so playing top flight football in 2023/24 would be some achievement. They certainly recruited well in the January window, bringing in a host of loan signings.
Both teams are out warming up in the evening sunshine, glorious conditions here in the south of Hertfordshire.
Arsenal coach Lydia Bedford also has close ties with Leicester, managing the Foxes from December 2021 (and losing her first game in charge to Arsenal) and keeping them in the WSL, finishing last season in 11th place. However, after a winless start to the season, Bedford was sacked in November and replaced by Willie Kirk, before joining Jonas Eidevall's coaching setup back in February.
In one of a few sub-plots tonight, Manchester City loanee Ruby Mace starts against the club where she started her senior career, making her Arsenal debut at the age of 17. The hard-working midfielder or defender joined on loan in January.
Arsenal stick with a back 5 (by the looks of it) with captain Katie McCabe at LWB, and Kuhl and Pelova either side of Blackstenius. Sabrina D'Angelo comes in between the sticks, having last played in Arsenal's comeback win against Manchester City in early April.
Leicester: Leitzig, Nevin, Tierney, Bott, Pike, Whelan (C), Green, Howard, Plumptre, Mace.
Arsenal: D'Angelo, Wubben-Moy, Beattie, Rafaelle, Maritz, Walti, Maanum, Pelova, McCabe, Kuhl, Blackstenius.
The tannoy here at Meadow Park has reminded supporters that Arsenal's next home game is against Aston Villa on May 27th, the final day of the season, making tonight's fixture the penultimate home game for the Gunners this season. Arsenal travel to Brighton on Wednesday before trips to Everton and then Chelsea, before the final day against Villa.
Arsenal will be without right back Laura Wienroither after the Austrian suffered an ACL injury in midweek, but the Gunners will have Stina Blackstenius available after she went off with a quad injury on Wednesday, as well as Gio and Jodie Taylor. Team news is ten minutes away.
Good afternoon and welcome to Meadow Park! It's a crucial game in the WSL tonight as Arsenal take on Leicester. Kick off is 7:30, with the game live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.