Arsenal Women Triumph 1-0 Against Brighton Thanks To Olislagers Own Goal

Add as a preferred source on Google

Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Brighton in the Women's Super League at the Emirates Stadium. The decisive moment came in the 15th minute when Marisa Olislagers inadvertently turned an Olivia Smith effort into her own net, wrong-footing Brighton's goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie. Despite dominating possession, Arsenal struggled to extend their lead due to Nnadozie's impressive saves.

Brighton nearly capitalised on Arsenal's missed opportunities when Daphne van Domselaar denied Kiko Seike from close range in the 37th minute. After halftime, Arsenal came close to doubling their advantage as both Smith and Frida Maanum saw their attempts cleared off the line by Brighton defenders. Carla Camacho then tested Van Domselaar with a powerful header, marking Brighton's best chance.

Following a lengthy pause due to Maelys Mpome's suspected head injury, Stina Blackstenius hit the crossbar with a header from Katie McCabe's corner. In the eighth minute of added time, Blackstenius had another opportunity but sent her shot wide of the post. This win lifted Arsenal above Brighton into sixth place with eight points, while Brighton dropped to seventh, trailing by one point.

Mariona Caldentey played a crucial role for Arsenal, excelling in midfield with 63 accurate passes and 37 passes in the final third. She also shared the top spot for chances created (three) before being substituted for Blackstenius in the 64th minute. This match marked Arsenal's second clean sheet of the season and ended their five-game winless run across all competitions.

Arsenal have maintained an unbeaten streak in their last 24 matches when scoring first in the WSL since losing 1-2 to West Ham in February 2024. This victory was vital for Slegers' team as they aimed to regain momentum after recent setbacks.