Arsenal Women’s Football Club had a hard year in the Women’s Super League (WSL). Then came a 4-2 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. This loss is the second in a row for Arsenal, after a discouraging 5-2 loss to Aston Villa. After a historic FA Cup victory against the Manchester giants last weekend, this match on Sunday finds Brighton in fifth place in the nascent league table.
With emotions running high on both sides, Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers had challenged her team to “neutralise emotion” before the match. Arsenal were unable to heed such wisdom, conceding four goals while the ground was shaking. Fran Kirby opened the scoring for Brighton in the 16th minute with a spectacular strike, setting the tone for the match. Less than two minutes later, Kiko Seike doubled Brighton’s lead, making the task of recovering even more difficult for Arsenal.
Arsenal was able to level things temporarily when Caitlin Foord scored. Brighton’s Jelena Cankovic wasted little time in helping the home side take control, scoring two quick goals. With those three vital strikes, she capped off Arsenal’s fate in front of jubilant home support.
After the game, Slegers took responsibility for her side’s defensive shortcomings and admitted that she was very disappointed. She pointed out that giving up nine goals in two games is not okay—that they need to do better.
“It’s definitely not what we expected coming here and definitely not what we prepared for. From now on, we need to try and do everything to be better in the next game against Manchester United.” – Renee Slegers
The defeat against Brighton has left Arsenal with a significant challenge as they prepare for their final match of the season against Manchester United. Slegers isn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. With so much literally at stake, she’s dedicated to making sure her team can perform on-game day.
Brighton’s manager, Dario Vidosic, celebrated his team’s performance and expressed gratitude towards their fans.
“Today to be in front of our fans, a great crowd came out today to see us off, the last time they were here for the season, and to give them that win did feel special.” – Dario Vidosic
The potential ramifications of this loss are deep, coming as Arsenal continue to get swept up in a stormy season. With each loss, the stakes are raised for both Slegers and her team. They need to get back on track and adjust their sights to the next game against Manchester United.
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