Arsenal Women get back to winning ways with victory over West Ham Women

Arsenal Women started 2019 with three points and remained top of the table after a 4-2 win against West Ham Women.

Just like in the reverse fixture, West Ham were the side to break the deadlock. With eleven minutes played, Alisha Lehmann charged forward and put a low cross in which was met by Jane Ross who fired home from close range.

Vivianne Miedema, the league’s top scorer, had a great chance to draw Arsenal level but she took too long trying to find the net and her effort was blocked. This was a rare occasion this season in which Miedema was in a good position and was unable to add to her 14 goals.

In the 26th minute, Arsenal were level. Leah Williamson, who was surprised to score a header in the Continental Cup against Milwall last month, used her head again to get Arsenal back into the game after she connected with Beth Mead’s cross.

The equaliser put Arsenal on the front foot and they continued to press for another goal which came soon after. Mead whipped in a corner which debutante Janni Arnth headed home to put Arsenal in front.

Mead could have got on the scoresheet herself with half-time approaching but her curled strike from the edge of the box went wide of the post.

Arsenal might have thought they would be in front at the break but West Ham had other ideas. Ross raced clean through on goal and made no mistake to equalise for West Ham and get her second goal of the game.

With both sides looking to win the game, Arsenal had the first clear chance of the second half. Danielle van de Donk dispossesed West Ham goalkeeper Becky Spencer and found Kim Little but her chipped effort was headed off the line.

After scoring a hat-trick in the reverse fixture, van de Donk was among the goals once again. The Dutch international scored twice in six minutes to give the league leaders a two goal lead.

Her first goal came after the ball bobbled in the box, via a deflection, and she was quickest to react. Mead then got her third assist of the game when van de Donk headed home from another pinpoint cross to complete a hat-trick of headed goals for the Gunners and a hat-trick of assists for Mead.

Arsenal were two goals to the good and in full control with the majority of the football being played in West Ham’s half. An error from Brooke Hendrix left van de Donk free to put a cross into the box but Little was unable to capitalise as her shot was saved by Spencer.

Despite a hard-fought effort, Arsenal got the better of West Ham again and returned to winning ways to remain top of the table. Kim Little played 90 minutes as she came back from injury which had kept her out since October. Her return was a huge boost to an Arsenal side who are going for the title.

West Ham starting XI: Spencer, Percival, Hendrix, Flaherty, Rafferty, Reichardt, Samspon, Longhurst, Lehmann, Ross, Visalli

Substitutes: Simic, Moorhouse, Kmita

Arsenal starting XI: Peyraud-Magnin, Arnth, Williamson, Bloodworth, McCabe, Little (Kuyken 90), Mead, Walti, van de Donk, Evans (Quinn 83), Miedema

Substitutes: van Veenendaal, Mitchell, Quinn, Kuyken, Grant, Gayle