Stina Blackstenius scored a late winner as Arsenal inflicted on Manchester City their first defeat of the Women’s Super League season by beating them 2-1 at the Mangata Pay UK Stadium.
The Sweden international put the Gunners back ahead with an 87th-minute finish, capitalising on a misjudgement by Khiara Keating as the City goalkeeper came out to try to deal with a ball forward from Katie McCabe.
Earlier, the Gunners had opened the scoring through Steph Catley just before the quarter-hour mark, then seen Keating save a Kim Little penalty - awarded following a foul by the teenage keeper on Cloe Lacasse - soon after, before Chloe Kelly brought things level in the 72nd minute.
The result means Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal join Gareth Taylor’s City on 10 points from five games, three behind leaders Chelsea.
After the game, Taylor accused his counterpart Eidevall of “bullying” the fourth official.
Speaking to the BBC, Taylor said of Eidevall: “That is always the same with him because he is constantly at the fourth official and I think it is bullying.
“I am protecting the fourth official, but that’s not my job.”
There are two other teams with the same amount of points as City and Arsenal, one of which is Tottenham, who were denied a fourth successive victory by Aurora Galli’s late penalty as they were held 1-1 at home by Everton.
Galli converted from the spot with five minutes of normal time to go to cancel out Grace Clinton’s first-half goal for Spurs.
The other side on 10 points is Liverpool following a 2-1 home win over Leicester.
Marie Hobinger’s 84th-minute goal secured the Reds victory after Melissa Lawley had given them the lead early in the second half and Missy Goodwin equalised just before the hour.
Promoted Bristol City claimed their first points of the season as they won 3-2 at West Ham, with Brooke Aspin netting the decisive goal.
An eventful first half saw the hosts lead via Viviane Asseyi’s penalty, the visitors reply with efforts from Amalie Thestrup and Ella Powell and West Ham’s Riko Ueki notch a stoppage-time equaliser, before Aspin put the Robins back in front 10 minutes after the break.
In the late kick-off, Manchester United twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Brighton, Rachel Williams scoring eight minutes into stoppage time to earn a point.
PA
