Football Review | Arsenal 1 - 0 Brighton & Hove Albion

Arsenal edge past Brighton in front of 27,336 fans

Arsenal ended a four-game winless run in the Women’s Super League with a hard-fought victory over Brighton, though questions about their fluency remain.

Author | DJ

Stadium | Emirates Stadium

View from the stands

The hosts went in front after 15 minutes when Olivia Smith’s low strike took a deflection off Brighton defender Marisa Olislagers and wrong-footed goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Despite the early breakthrough, Arsenal struggled to assert themselves and were indebted to goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, who denied Kiko Seike on two occasions before the interval.

The Gunners came close to doubling their lead just before the hour mark, but Maelys Mpome cleared off the line following a goalmouth scramble. Moments later, van Domselaar was called into action again, saving smartly from a Carla Camacho header.

Pictures from around the ground

Arsenal pressed for a second goal late on, with Stina Blackstenius striking the bar and firing narrowly wide, yet they ultimately had to settle for the single deflected strike that separated the sides.

The win, their first in all competitions since thrashing West Ham 5-1 on 12 September, lifts Jonas Eidevall’s team to fifth in the WSL table, five points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

Vital clean sheet offers reassurance for Van Domselaar

Renee Slegers will be left frustrated once again by Arsenal’s struggle to sustain early promise.

As they had against Aston Villa in the league and Lyon in midweek, the Gunners began brightly and took a deserved lead, only for their rhythm to fade once ahead. The familiar dip in intensity allowed Brighton back into the contest and left Arsenal reliant on their goalkeeper to see them through.

READ MORE | Chelsea 1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur

Daphne van Domselaar, whose recent form has come under scrutiny, delivered an important response. The Dutch keeper had been culpable for Lyon’s equaliser in the Champions League defeat, but Slegers’ decision to keep faith was justified as she produced a series of fine stops to preserve a clean sheet.

There remain concerns over her command of aerial balls, yet this was a display that hinted at renewed confidence. It was, in many ways, a reflection of Arsenal’s overall performance, flawed, uneven, but ultimately effective enough to keep them in touch with the WSL’s leading pack.