Report: Arsenal Women 1-1 Manchester United

We drew 1-1 at home to Manchester United in the Women’s Super League on Saturday evening.

Julia Zigiotti’s second-half strike seemed as though it would be the difference between the two sides, but for Smilla Holmberg's 95th-minute equaliser.

PUSHING AND PROBING

We had the first chance of the game as Lisa Baum did well to win the ball off of Jessica Park and create an opening, but her left-footed effort was straight at Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

A Georgia Stanway corner went all the way to the far post and hits Alessia Russo’s head before United cleared the danger, before the visitors had their first sight of goal at the other end.

Misa Rodriguez made two big saves, firstly after Andrea Medina Martin drifted in from the left and found Elisabeth Terland, whose strike towards the bottom right was stopped well by our goalkeeper, before the ball dropped to Terland again and she shot straight at Misa.

In the 24th minute, Olivia Smith beat Anna Sandberg and got a cross in, which was cleared only as far as Stanway and she dragged the ball wide of the bottom left.

We come close to making the breakthrough when Emily Fox’s cross was touched by Russo into the path of Mariona Caldentey, but she curled just wide of the top right.

Then, Stanway’s free-kick from the right was low and met by Leah Williamson, who cushioned it straight into Tullis-Joyce’s gloves.

It was almost 1-0 on the brink of half-time as Baum’s cross from the left was headed towards goal by Stina Blackstenius, but Tullis-Joyce tipped it over the bar and we went into the break level.

NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT

Ona Batlle found Russo early in the second half and she put the ball across the face of goal, but Maya Le Tissier hooked it out for a corner. Stanway then curled a cross to the far post and Tullis-Joyce retrieved possession.

Park smashed the ball over the bar from the edge of the area, before we made our first two changes in the 58th minute with Holmberg and Kim Little coming on for Smith and Mariona.

Little’s cross was headed wide by Russo in the 63rd minute, but it was United who took the lead moments later as Stanway gave the ball away in a dangerous area and Zigiotti went through on goal, slotting the ball between Misa’s legs for 1-0.

We responded with some attacking changes as Selina Cerci came on for her Arsenal debut alongside Caitlin Foord. They replaced Baum and Blackstenius.

Tullis-Joyce kept United ahead with just under 15 minutes left on the clock, as Holmberg’s cross was met by Foord and her first-time effort was denied.

Chloe Kelly came on for Batlle in the 82nd minute as we continued to find a way back into the game, as Holmberg’s cross was headed straight at Tullis-Joyce by Cerci.

A late Catley corner was headed wide by Williamson, and Kelly tried her luck from distance but the goalkeeper saved again.

LEAVING IT LATE

Five minutes into added time, Williamson's cross to the far post was cushioned into the roof of the net by Holmerg to rescue a point.