Beth Mead Returns to Help Arsenal to Injury Time Comeback
Arsenal v Aston Villa Match Report: 330 days after Beth Mead left the very same Emirates Stadium pitch in agony following her ACL injury, she returns to help Arsenal turn the game around against Aston Villa to grab an injury time win.
Final score: Arsenal 2 – 1 Aston Villa.
Beth Mead has spent the last 11 months overcoming one of the most physically and psychologically testing injuries a player can experience. Her World Cup dreams were left in shatters on a cold November night at the Emirates Stadium.
This rejuvenating cameo role in this long-awaited comeback will have left Lionesses fans dreaming about what could have been in Australia, should England have had the luxury of a fit and firing Beth Mead at their disposal against Spain.
To say Arsenal’s season hasn’t gone to plan would be a huge understatement. A loss to Liverpool, followed by a draw away to Manchester United left them with just one point from six. Chelsea’s dominance in past seasons has proven that 5 dropped points can be enough to hand over the WSL trophy to the Blues. Therefore, even so early in the WSL season, this was regarded as a must-win for Arsenal.
Eidevall makes four changes from Manchester United match
Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall continued to make sweeping changes to his team, bringing Zinsberger back in for D’Angelo, following an error against Manchester United which provided costly. He also brought Wubben-Moy back into defence, while McCabe and Foord also made the starting XI. Blackstenius, Codina and Pelova dropped to the bench, as Eidevall switched the formation.
McCabe looked threatening from the off, with several shots to test Villa’s new goalkeeper Domselaar. Caitlin Foord then found the back of the net, only for the referee to blow for offside, a decision that was derided by Arsenal fans, and in the absence of VAR technology.
Despite Arsenal having the benefit of over 30,000 home fans behind them, it was Aston Villa who took the lead after 25 minutes. Maz Pacheco couldn’t believe her luck as she found herself in space in the Arsenal box, connecting with a header from Staniforth’s cross. Villa began to grow in confidence, while Arsenal looked shaken yet again.
Arsenal continued to apply pressure on Villa but went into the changing rooms trailing 1-0 at half-time.
The second half continued in similar fashion, Arsenal dominating possession but no real end product. Arsenal continued to knock on the door, with endless crosses being fired into the Villa box, which Foord and Maanum almost capitalised on.
Arsenal substituted Pelova and Lacasse on for Ilestedt and Maanum, as they looked for more clinical finishing. Lacasse had made the difference against Manchester United, firing a spectacular long-range goal past Mary Earps.
Jordan Nobbs welcomed back against her old team
With Villa spending large spells under siege from Arsenal, Carla Ward decided fresh legs were needed. Jordan Nobbs was introduced on the 73rd minute to a ruptuous round of applause. What Arsenal would have done for a trademark Nobbs goal at this point in the game.
Arsenal made more substitutions with Blackstenius coming on, followed by Beth Mead in her first appearance in 330 days.
Arsenal’s pressure was relentless but as the clock got closer to 90 minutes, Villa will have thought they were leaving with something. However, the lost time injury board signalled 12 minutes and this, along with Mead’s return, gave Arsenal the hope they needed.
McCabe lashes in the equaliser
The Villa defence could only watch as McCabe rifled a powerful shot past Domselaar on 90+2. From an acute angle, McCabe lashed the ball into the net, perhaps with some extra venom for being benched last week. Shortly afterwards, Mead is involved in the action, passing the ball to Blackstenius, who hits the upright.
The Emirates crowd had now woken up and Arsenal could smell blood. Beth Mead found Alessia Russo, who didn’t catch the ball as cleanly as she would have liked but the ball slid under Domselaar, and over the line.
The Emirates erupted as the red masses celebrated Russo’s first WSL goal for Arsenal and a comeback assist for Mead. Staniforth shot agonisingly wide from a freekick in the dying minutes but Arsenal held out to get their first 3 points of the season.
Aston Villa will be hugely disappointed with 3 consecutive losses but were unlucky not to come away with anything to show for the games against Arsenal and Manchester United. The next set of Aston Villa WSL fixtures brings Tottenham on Saturday 21 October, followed by a tough game against Chelsea, as they look to climb up the WSL table.