Arsenal Women ran out 1-0 winners against an A-League All Stars XI in a prestige post-season friendly in at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Friday morning.
A mix and match Gunners side won thanks to a first-half Alessia Russo header from a Vivienne Lia cross. The Gunners started with Sarah Bouhaddi in goal, who joined the club on an eight-week deal during the early part of the year to cover for Sabrina D’Angelo while she took part in the Gold Cup with Canada.
Vivienne Lia played at right-back with Katie Reid, Steph Catley and Katie McCabe across the backline, Kim Little, Victoria Pelova and Kyra Cooney-Cross in midfield with Kathrine Kuhl on the right, Caitlin Foord on the left and Russo upfront.
https://t.co/DCsu1yvI6H pic.twitter.com/wTyL3WflBk
— miedemastuff (@miedemastuff) May 24, 2024
In the second half, Naomi Williams, Emily Fox, Teyah Goldie, Freya Godfrey, Laila Harbert, Cloe Lacasse, Frida Maanum and Maddy Earl entered the fray. The A-League All Stars featured former Arsenal goalkeeper Lydia Williams and were managed by former Arsenal boss Joe Montemurro.
Manu Zinsberger, Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Laura Wienroither, Michelle Agyemang and Laia Codina were rested for the tour, while Lia Walti and Stina Blackstenius were injured and Amanda Ilestedt on maternity leave. The majority of the Arsenal team will join up with their countries next week ahead of international double headers in the first week of June.
A-League definitely not the A League if their all-stars lose to our B team!
The youngsters were excellent, especially POTM Katie Reid. Lia gets a special gold star for her perfect cross to Russo, but it took her a little longer to impose herself, admittedly in an unfamiliar right back position. She initially concentrated on not making a mistake. Reid was so assured. We missed our “switchers” – Williamson and Wubben-Moy, and we had the same problem we’ve had all season – we get up to their box fairly easily but struggle to deliver a killer final ball and finish our chances. We should have scored a few more goals. But all the players… Read more »
Completely agree about Katie Reid. Has a real football brain and always seems to make the right decisions. The question now is what will be the best next move for her? (Fascinating to hear also that she’s an excellent golfer!)
It’s tricky, isn’t it, because my impression (not just based on today) is that she, plus probably Lia and Godfrey could cope with the WSL but would they get the chances? No point them warming the bench for a year, but equally if they have it too easy, they won’t learn. They’re sort of in-between the WC and the WSL. Reid looked the best of the lot today. Needs to add big diagonals to her game. (Perhaps bring some of that golfing expertise to bear?) Agyemang is an absolute given for the WSL and I hope she can get a… Read more »
Sorry for the off-topic, but the new kits actually look good on the pitch!
No Miedema means contrived support from me but at the beginning of next season, I will be gung-ho behind them.
What was that great to see, thank you for streaming!
I was blown away with Arsenal new future players…..so bold and full of confidence. Well done all of you …also not to forget Williams the goal keeper. They were from minute one ….one team !
Yeah. Seeing her for the first time made me wonder why we haven’t seen her before!
Great game to watch, which I didn’t think it would be. An absolutely huge crowd in attendance and played at a major stadium too. I really liked all the young players including the keeper, and very much liked seeing KK back in a (new!) Arsenal shirt. Kyra & Caitlyn clearly enjoyed playing to a home crowd! Oh I had thought Stina was very quiet, but after a while realised she hadn’t even travelled!! Must have been the camera angle.
Yeah, a lot of the women players have dipped into the arsenal vat of blonde recently, so unless U can see their numbers a lot of em look the same 😁
A special bonus on the day for those who attended the game in Melbourne, New Castle men (second string, to be fair) got whooped by A-League All-Stars men 8:0. One ticket gave you access to both games. There was plenty of cheerful booing of New Castle because most people in the stadium came to see Arsenal Women. 42,000 were at the game.
their game was before?
Yes
😂 That was evident 😁