In the 88th minute Arsenal were staring at a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa and their Women’s Super League title aspirations lay in tatters. Then came a heady roar from the crowd as Beth Mead stepped over the touchline ready to make her return from injury. Then the announcement of 12 minutes of added time ushered in another hopeful roar. Two minutes later a rocket from Katie McCabe sent the Emirates Stadium wild – and, finally, a Mead assist and an Alessia Russo strike breathed belief back into the Gunners’ campaign.
No team have lost more than two games in a season and won the league in the history of the WSL and, with just one point from their opening two games, Arsenal had to take three against Villa.
