The Barclays Women’s Super League returned as Arsenal defeated a new-look Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 at a sold-out Meadow Park on Friday night.
Brighton were swiftly down to 10 players, four of them debutants, as Emma Kullberg was sent off in the sixth minute, but Arsenal found the back of the net only once in a dominant first half, through captain Kim Little.
Stina Blackstenius would add a second soon after the restart before Euros Player of the Tournament Beth Mead got in on the act, scoring Arsenal’s final two to take her opening day tally to seven.
READ MORE: Arsenal player rating vs Brighton as Foord stars, Blackstenius impresses and Mead scores twice
Any hopes Brighton had of a first WSL victory over Arsenal evaporated in the sixth minute when Kullberg was sent off for fouling Blackstenius when through on goal - no VAR in use in the WSL meant the Swedish forward being offside in the build-up went undetected by referee Lisa Benn.
The balance was only slightly redressed in the Seagulls’ favour as Mead’s free-kick was deflected behind for a corner that came to nothing before Arsenal began a period of complete dominance that stretched for almost the entire half.
Caitlin Foord regularly tested goalkeeper Megan Walsh down the left wing, sending in a shot from outside the box in the 17th minute, with Walsh back in action three minutes later as a frustrated Mead sent a scuffed shot straight at the shot-stopper.
Buoyed by not yet being behind, Brighton advanced forward and claimed their clearest chance of the half as Lee Geummin raced down the right wing finding Elisabeth Terland on the left of the box who shot narrowly wide.
It was a warning sign that Arsenal duly heeded as they immediately broke from the resulting goal-kick but Foord’s cross was too heavy for either of the eager Blackstenius or Vivianne Miedema.
Arsenal’s reward would come in the 28th minute as Little earned the first goal of the new WSL season, lashing home from inside the box after more good work from Foord.
Blackstenius would have two more chances before the half was up, rattling the crossbar before heading just wide as the flag was raised for offside again to see Brighton into the break only a goal down.
Arsenal’s rangy forward again hit the upright three minutes after the restart as she attempted to stab home again from an offside position, but she was onside for Arsenal’s second, rifling into the top corner to give the home side a comfortable lead.
The chant of ‘Meado’ frequently heard during the Euros was back in action in the 63rd minute as Mead stabbed home having been set up by Miedema, who found the back of the net 11 minutes later before the flag went up again.
With nine minutes to go there was still time for the crossbar to be rattled once more, this time by substitute Jordan Nobbs, and it was soon followed by another Mead goal in the 83rd minute to put the game to bed and earn Arsenal a ninth straight league win.
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