In Sunday evening’s game against Bristol City, Arsenal were able to turn on the heat and thrash the Robins 5-0. 

Braces from Beth Mead and Alessia Russo as well as an goal from Bristol’s Ella Powell defined a dominant display from Arsenal on home soil.

The match saw a familiar face up in the stands as Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall served a one match suspension from the touch line after receiving three yellow cards across the season.

First half

From the very start of the game the Gunners were hoping to go one ahead with a missed chance by Stina Blackstenius that just went wide. Although it didn’t take long for Arsenal to get their goal.

With Caitlin Foord’s attempt hitting the wood work the ball was shot out back into Bristol’s box and the first goal of the game came from Beth Mead.

The goal was scored in the sixth minute, a well needed goal for Mead, having not scored in the last 10 games.

To stop another one from hitting the back of the Bristol net, Chelsea loanee Brooke Aspin made an incredible block that led to an Arsenal corner. The corner was taken short and Victoria Pelova just hit the cross bar with a terrific strike.

Pic: Bella Pin

Arsenal could easily have been four of five goals ahead inside the opening 30 minutes had they been slightly more clinical. 

The second goal again came from Mead in the 32nd minute as she was able to fire it home for the Gunners on a rebound.

The next goal was any defender’s nightmare as Bristol City’s Powell scored an own goal after attempting to block a cross from Steph Catley.

Goalkeeper Fran Bentley was left powerless to stop it from going in as Powell stood and looked in dismay.

Second half

In the second half, Emily Fox attempted to earn her first goal for Arsenal but it was met by the hands of Bristol’s keeper Bentley who remained calm under pressure.

Bristol were able to work the ball up to Arsenal’s goal, but with a clever interception from Catley and a impressive save by Sabrina D’Angelo, Bristol’s lead goal scorer this season, Amalie Thestrup, was denied the opportunity to get one back for her side. 

Shortly after, Arsenal were back on the attack and this time it was Russo who was able to find the back of the net from just inside the box. 

Yet another goal that couldn’t be stopped, Bentley just got a touch on it, but to no avail as it hit the back of the net.

Arsenal had yet another corner, and it looked like the ball was going in until it came off a Bristol players arm.

Despite shouts for a hand ball from the Arsenal players, their appeals where left unheard by the referee.

After both teams made several substitutions, it was Katie McCabe who ran straight up the pitch, picking out Russo for the forward to net yet another goal with immense power to the ball and score her brace. 

Pic: Bella Pin

The match also saw the return of Laura Wienroither, the Arsenal defender who tore her ACL in the Champions League semifinal over a year ago.

In a perfect evening for the Gunners, they wrapped up the game securing a 5-0 victory over Bristol who remain bottom of the table. 

The woes continue for the league strugglers as they inch closer to relegation with just four games left to go this season and having only earned just six points in their last 18.

They next face Liverpool at home on Saturday 20 March while Arsenal are headed back to the Emirates once again this season to face Leicester City the following day.


Featured image courtesy of Bella Pin.