Match Recap: Manchester City Women with a last-minute winner against Arsenal Women

Any match between Manchester City and Arsenal promises chances and high-intensity football. With the last 13 matches between the two sides always producing a winner City needed to come out on top to close the gap between them and first place Manchester United.

Before the match began City wore shirts to pay tribute to Jennifer Beattie who bravely opened up on her recent cancer diagnosis.

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Arsenal started the game putting the City defence under immense pressure and it paid off when with just three minutes on the clock, the away team were ahead. Lucy Bronze gave the ball away and Vivianne Miedema slotted the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the box. Miedema is the top scorer in the WSL and hurt City early on. 1-0 Arsenal.

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City started to come into the game more after the Arsenal goal with Samantha Mewis being at the heart of the action upfront for the Blues, but they still did not have anything to show for it.

Just before the half-hour mark City had the breakthrough they needed. A corner was swung in from Chloe Kelly and Mewis leapt inside the 6-yard box to head the ball over the Arsenal defender on the line. 1-1.

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It was nothing short of what City deserved to be level with the 2018-19 league winners as just past the halfway mark City had five attempts on goal to Arsenal’s one. The Blues just needed to convert the chances.

Arsenal’s Beth Mead played a low cross into Miedema and City were lucky that the Netherland’s international did not make more of the ball in.

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Before the halftime whistle, Bronze went on an incredible run into Arsenal’s area and was weaving in between Arsenal defenders, a shout for a penalty was dismissed, likely because Bronze stayed on her feet.

City started the second half on top and Georgia Stanway catches a defender out just on the inside of the box but is unlucky as she cannot quite get to her feet.

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The first substitution for Manchester City was made just after the half-hour mark which saw Lauren Hemp leave the pitch with Ellen White replacing her.

Stanway was played down the left wing by Caroline Weir and it seemed like she was going to provide City’s second, however, the shot was blocked and turned behind for a corner.

Arsenal’s keeper Lydia Williams made a poor clearance which fell at 35 yards out for Weir who tried the shot, but it narrowly went wide.

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City’s second substitution was at nearly 15 minutes to go and saw Kelly go off and Janine Beckie replace her.

Mewis whipped in a cross from the right-hand side which fell for Stanway, but Arsenal defender Steph Catley made it to the ball first and it was put behind for a corner.

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At 90 minutes Weir on a corner crossed it into captain Steph Houghton who from little more than a yard out missed twice. Arsenal got very lucky that they did not find themselves losing for the first time in the match.

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GOAL!!! With four minutes added on, at 93 minutes Stanway tries her luck from outside the box but it was deflected and fell for Weir who struck the ball beautifully into the bottom corner, beating Williams. 2-1 City!

Full time: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal