Live Blog: Arsenal Women can secure second place finish with win over Brighton
Arsenal travel to Crawley with European football already secured for next season
Mariona Caldentey catches up with her former Barcelona teammate Bruna Vilamana, on loan at Brighton. Credit- Suzy Lycett @boodlepim
Live BLog Monday May 5th
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Full time: Brighton 4-2 Arsenal
90+7’ Off the crossbar! Nighswonger almost adds another wondergoal to this game from range, a whisker away. 4-2
90+5’ Close again! Another stunning save from Baggaley to keep out Russo from producing a very nervy end to this game. What a save. 4-2
90+3’ Goal! Mariona with an excellent strike to make it 4-2, with four added minutes remaining. Did well to intercept and it’s a top drawer finish. 4-2
90+1’ Pelova replaces Foord. 7 added minutes. 4-1
87’ Kelly sends in a free-kick and Catley spins to see her shot blocked. Arsenal keep the crosses coming in to no avail. 4–1
84’ Superb sliding tackle by Williamson on Parris as she got into a good area before Kelly is fouled. 4-1
82’ Blackstenius has just not made it work upfront, turning in the box and then a low shot/cross saved easily by Baggaley. 4-1
80’ Just wide for Seike as Brighton almost make it five. Great work by Auee to send the cross in. 4-1
77’ A goal-line scramble as Brighton eventually clear, under real pressure now. Foord then drags her shot wide. 4-1
75’ Russo crosses and Blackstenius miscues her first header, before heading wide from Nighswonger’s cross. 4-1
72’ Foord finds Kelly in the box and her shot is blocked. Brighton deserve these three points, Arsenal have had a Bank Holiday to forget and seem to still be on the plane back from Lyon, or to Lisbon. 4-1
70’ Sophie Baggaley only started after Melina Loeck was injured in the warm-up but she has been outstanding. Arsenal persisting with floating crosses in and she’s just claiming every one with ease. 4-1
68’ Good cross by Foord but Baggaley claims again. 4-1
65’ Arsenal need quick goals, and they’ve been very good at that under Slegers. At the moment, it’s still Brighton who are pushing forward, as Parris heads over from Seike. 4-1
62’ The subs are involved immediately as Kelly’s dainty cross is nodded towards goal by Blackstenius, it hits the hand of Hayes but no penalty. 4-1
59' Changes for Arsenal as Mead, Kelly, Maanum and McCabe are replaced by Kelly, Blackstenius, Walti and Nighswonger. 4-1
59’ Mead is picked out by Foord but her header is straight at the goalkeeper. 4-1
56’ Arsenal have conceded 9 goals in one game and 55 minutes 4-1
54’ Goal! Arsenal are crumbling again. Seike bursts through in behind and finds the net in style to make it 4-1 to Brighton
53’ Goal! Cankovic completes her brace with a lob over Zinsberger and Brighton double their lead. 3-1
52’ Early cross into the box for Parris as Zinsberger races out, just putting her under enough pressure to prod the shot wide. Strange bit of play! 2-1
50’ Little’s shot is deflected but drops for Maanum. Brighton defend well to stop any shot from the Norwegian. 2-1
47’ Seike runs in behind and just takes too long to make a decision with Williamson staying alongside her well to then intercept. 2-1
46’ Kirby is replaced by Noordam at half time- surprising! We’re underway. 2-1
A nervy start from Arsenal with too many mistakes in this first half but Brighton have scored two special goals to lead 2-1, with Sophie Baggaley excellent at the other end to keep out a number of shots.
Half time: Brighton 2-1 Arsenal.
46’ Two added minutes. 2-1
43’ Goal! Fair play, Arsenal have conceded two screamers this afternoon, as Cankovic slams a volley past Zinsberger after Maanum heads away the corner. What a hit that is. 2-1
42’ Seike crosses for Parris and the ball bounces awkwardly, meaning her scuffed shot causes no issues for Zinsberger. 1-1
41’ Why don’t you come on over, Baggaley? She does, saving Maanum’s strike that looked destined for the net. That first sentence makes sense if you sing it… 1-1
39’ Another block as Hayes gets down low to keep out Russo. Much better from the away side. 1-1
39’ Brighton attack and Kirby is dragged down as she plays the ball into the box, which Arsenal win back. Russo scampers down the right and Maanum’s shot is blocked. 1-1
36’ Baggaley again! Good save as Mariona winds up a curling effort from the edge of the box. 1-1
35’ Low ball from Russo into Mead who just couldn’t sort her feet out and miscued the effort. 1-1
32’ Wonderful block from Williamson, sliding in to deny Seike! 1-1
29’ Goal! Lovely ball in from Mariona and Foord’s shot is saved before she turns in the rebound to equalise! 1-1
28’ Little breaks into the box and her shot is well saved by Baggaley! 1-0
26’ Sarina Wiegman is in attendance, as is the Brighton Men manager Fabian Hurzeler. 1-0
25’ Chance for Maanum from a narrow angle and Baggaley saves at her near post. 1-0
25’ Foord races down the left and her low cross is cleared before Mead plays back into midfield, and then all the way to Zinsberger. 1-0
21’ First booking of the game as Olislagers drags down Fox. 1-0
19’ If I’m a Brighton fan, I’m spending the rest of the day watching that Kirby goal on loop. Stunning technique, with no chance for Zinsberger whatsoever. 1-0
17’ Arsenal respond as Foord’s cross is headed onto the post by Russo! 1-0
16’ Goal! Mead loses possession to Hayes’ tackle, Cankovic finds Kirby and she picks out the postage stamp with a beauty of a goal. 1-0
12’ It’s been thrills and spills (mainly spills) so far as this time a Brighton backpass is wide of Baggaley’s goal and out for a corner! 0-0
10’ Now Williamson appears at the right-back position not for the first time in this game and floats in a cross, claimed by the keeper. 0-0
7’ Better from Arsenal as Foord hangs up a cross which Baggaley claims. 0-0
5’ Goodness me. A strong back-pass to Zinsberger from Mariona has to be cleared off the line by the goalkeeper, before Foord rounds Baggaley up the other end but misses the target after a great cross from Russo! 0-0
4’ Both of these sides like to play out from the back and Arsenal were almost caught out there as Brighton pressed well. Good start from the home side. 0-0
2’ And then Symonds takes aim from range after Kirby caught Mariona, her shot saved easily. 0-0
1’ Seike gets past Zinsberger after Little gives the ball away. She’s forced away and the goalkeeper does well to tip the shot from Cankovic over. 0-0
1’ Underway in Crawley for Arsenal’s final away game of the season (the Champions League final doesn’t count!) 0-0
1’ Underway in Crawley for Arsenal’s final away game of the season (the Champions League final doesn’t count!) 0-0
1’ Underway in Crawley for Arsenal’s final away game of the season (the Champions League final doesn’t count!) 0-0
Alessia Russo is level on 12 goals with Bunny Shaw at the top of the WSL standings- can she go in front today?
Here come the teams!
Over 4,000 fans are in attendance in Crawley, with yet another packed-out Arsenal away end.
Sophie Baggaley starts in goal for Brighton after Melina Loeck was injured in the warmup.
Brighton are looking to secure their best ever WSL finish, with the Seagulls currently 5th- above Liverpool only on goal difference, with their game in hand to come in a few minutes' time.
Arsenal secured European football yesterday without kicking a ball as the points were shared between the two Manchester clubs. Beat Brighton, and second place will be confirmed- helpful when it comes to reaching the UWCL group stage.
Slegers: "Right now our only focus is on Brighton and we want to make the right decisions for today."
Renée Slegers speaking to Sky: "We want to be consistent in everything we do, that's when we're at our strongest, delivering the same thing in training and in games, every day."
Never a dull day in the WSL, hey?
Poppy Pattinson, Maria Thorisdottir, Guro Bergsvand, Dejana Stefanovic and Pauline Bremer will be leaving Brighton next month when their contracts expire- the players took to social media earlier today to announce their individual departures.
Brighton are without Arsenal loanee Michelle Agyemang, who cannot play against her parent club.
Brighton subs: Baggaley, Masaka, Miranda, McLauchlan, Noordam, Rayner, Rule, Stafanovic, Vilamala.
Brighton manager Dario Vidosic tells Sky Sports he didn't know about the Seagulls players leaving the club being made public on their social media today.
Brighton: Loeck; Olislagers, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Hayes, Auee; Symonds, Kirby, Cankovic, Seike; Parris.
Subs: Williams, Wubben-Moy, Ilestedt, Nighswonger, Walti, Cooney-Cross, Pelova, Kelly, Blackstenius.
Arsenal: Zinsberger; McCabe, Catley, Williamson, Fox; Mariona, Little; Foord, Maanum, Mead; Russo.
And speaking of the team, here goes. Six changes!
It really doesn't feel like a Bank Holiday- a grey Monday, rainy in Crawley even, and this 4pm kick-off just seems strange. This time of the season is strange, as was Arsenal's 5-2 defeat at Villa Park on Wednesday. Less of that today, suggests Renée Slegers' team selection.
Good afternoon and welcome to our coverage of some Bank Holiday footy as Brighton host Arsenal Women in Crawley.