Aston Villa Women –
We suffered a late equaliser to draw 1-1 at home to Aston Villa in the Barclays Women’s Super League at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors gifted us an early opener for Frida Maanum, and it looked as though that would be enough to separate the sides, but Lucy Parker pulled one back late on to share the spoils.
FIRST HALF
Olivia Smith played a nice one-two with Maanum and her cross hit Anna Patten to win us a corner early on, before Mariona Caldentey’s shot from the edge of the area was deflected wide for another corner. That resulted in a goalmouth scramble and Sabrina D’Angelo gathered possession.
They didn’t hold onto it for long though, Missy Bo Kearns giving the ball away and allowing Mariona to find Maanum, who made no mistake in front of goal for 1-0. It was her third goal in four WSL appearances this season.
Lynne Anke Hannie Wilms curled a free-kick over the wall and Daphne van Domselaar parried it past the post at the other end, and Wilms then went for goal again, firing wide from distance.
Moments later, Emily Fox found herself in the 18-yard box and teed up Russo, whose low left-footed effort was straight at D’Angelo. Katie McCabe’s cross from the left was touched behind by Patten as we continued our pursuit of a more comfortable lead.
It really should have been 2-0 as McCabe’s free-kick to the far post then found Mead and she cushioned it back across goal, but it just evaded Maanum who slid past the post.
Chasity Grant struck high and wide for Villa with half-time approaching, and we went into the break a goal ahead.
SECOND HALF
Villa began the second half in the ascendancy, Grant shooting narrowly wide of the far post from Kirsty Hanson’s cross after they broke through on the counter-attack. Hanson then curled wide of the top right from just outside the penalty area, before a Villa corner was hooked wide by Patten just beyond the hour mark.
Looking for some attacking inspiration, we made our first changes, Caitlin Foord and Victoria Pelova coming on for Smith and Maanum.
The away side kept pushing for the equaliser though, Hanson dragging a shot just wide of the bottom right from long range.
Fox’s shot was blocked in the 71st minute after she made a positive run forward and was picked out by Mead, and Steph Catley played it inside to McCabe, whose powerful strike was pushed over the bar.
We looked promising on the break when Fox sent Russo through with just under 10 minutes remaining. The ball dropped for Pelova, but her shot was blocked.
More changes came in the 87th minute, Chloe Kelly and Taylor Hinds replacing Mead and McCabe respectively.
Pelova’s late effort towards the bottom right corner was caught by D’Angelo as seven minutes were added on at the end of the second half. During that time, Van Domselaar was on hand to catch a header from Bo Kearns before Lotte Wubben-Moy came on for Mariona.
Our goalkeeper then pushed a Wilms free-kick behind for an Aston Villa corner, and the away side found a way through from that set-piece courtesy of Parker.
Foord had a sight of goal late on but D’Angelo got down to make the save and end the game level.
WHAT’S NEXT
We head back up north to take on Manchester City in a 12pm kick-off at Joie Stadium on Saturday, October 4.
Then, our UEFA Women’s Champions League defence begins against Lyon at Mangata Developments Stadium in Borehamwood. That’s an 8pm kick-off on Tuesday, October 7, with tickets going on sale to season ticket holders at 2pm on Tuesday, September 30 and on general sale at 2pm on Wednesday, October 1.
