Page 4 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.21 2021-22

The Barclays FA WSL

The points were shared as leaders Arsenal battled out a 1-1 draw with
Manchester Utd when two of the top three came face to face. Alessia Russo
headed United in front after ten minutes and Mary Earps pulled off a great
save to keep out a Vivianne Miedema header to preserve their lead at half
time. Ella Toone could have made it two after the break but Arsenal, who had
been reduced to ten players when Katie McCabe was showed a second yellow
card, equalised when a defence splitting pass from Miedema released Stina
Blackstenius who scored her first goal for the club.
Chelsea were able to capitalise with a 1-0 victory over Manchester
City which closes the gap on Arsenal to two points. Guro Reiten headed in a
fourteenth minute winner for the Blues to all but end City’s remaining hopes for a challenge and
set things up nicely for when Chelsea meet Arsenal on Friday night.
Tottenham Hotspur boosted their top three hopes by running out 4-0 winners over
Brighton & Hove Albion. Kyah Simon gave Spurs an early lead and they sealed the points with
three goals in six minutes after the break. Ashleigh Neville made it two just before the hour and
quickfire strikes frp, Shelina Zadorsky and Simon put the seal on Spurs’ biggest win of the season.
Seven wins in eight games now for Reading FC Women who are firmly in the frame for
a Champions League place, following their 2-1 success away to Everton. Once again, Kelly
Chambers’ side came from behind to take the points, Anna Anvegard having given the Toffees a
fifth minute lead. In-form striker Natasha Dowie brought Reading level midway through the
second half and 17-year-old Tia Primmer scored the winner with two minutes left.
West Ham Utd picked up their fifth win of the campaign, 2-1 at Aston Villa. Abbey-
Leigh Stringer put the Hammers in front early on,
with Villa levelling just before half time, Alisha Arsenal 1 (Blackstenius 79)
Lehmann scoring from the penalty spot against her Manchester Utd 1 (Russo 10)
former club. Katerina Svitkova restored West Ham’s -
lead after the break and they held on for a result Chelsea 1 (Reiten 14)
which keeps them just outside of the top half. Manchester City 0
A vital clash saw the bottom two meet each -
Everton 1 (Anvegard 5)
other and it was Leicester City who were 2-1 Reading FC Women 2 (Dowie 74, Primmer 88)
winners at Birmingham City to boost their -
survival hopes. The crucial moment came in the first Birmingham City 1 (Quinn 85)
half when Jess Sigsworth scored a penalty after Leicester City 2 (Sigsworth pen 29, Purfield 37)
Blues goalkeeper Emily Ramsey was red carded for -
Tottenham Hotspur 4 (Simon 12,63, Neville 57,
a foul. Jemma Purfueld made it two before the Zadorsky 62)
interval and although Birmingham rallied and Brighton & Hove Albion 0
pulled a late goal back through Louise Quinn, -
Leicester held out for a result which puts a gap of Aston Villa 1 (Lehmann pen 42)
West Ham Utd 2 (Stringer 12, Svitkova 52)
five points between the two teams.
BARCLAYS FA WSL P W D L F A Pts GD
ARSENAL 13 9 3 1 34 8 30 26
CHELSEA 12 9 1 2 30 6 28 24 LEADING SCORERS
MANCHESTER UTD 13 7 4 2 28 14 25 Samantha KERR Chelsea 9
14
6
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 13 7 3 3 17 11 24 Vivianne MIEDEMA Arsenal 8
READING FC WOMEN 12 7 1 4 17 15 22 Natasha DOWIE Reading FC Women 6
2
MANCHESTER CITY 13 6 2 5 29 20 20 Fran KIRBY Chelsea 6
9
WEST HAM UTD 13 5 5 3 18 15 20 3
Kim LITTLE Arsenal 6
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 14 5 1 8 13 22 16 -9
Lauren HEMP
ASTON VILLA 13 4 1 8 9 28 13 -19 Manchester City 5
EVERTON 12 3 2 7 10 21 11 -11
LEICESTER CITY 14 3 0 11 9 27 9 -18
BIRMINGHAM CITY 14 1 1 12 9 36 4 -27
Issue no. 21 - 10 February 2022 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk