Match report: United Women 1 Arsenal 1

Manchester United maintained an unbeaten start to the 2024/25 season following a 1-1 draw against Women’s Super League rivals Arsenal at Leigh Sports Village.

The deadlock was broken for Arsenal by Alessia Russo with just over an hour played, but a big United push to avoid defeat saw Melvine Malard score off the bench against the Gunners at LSV for the second year running inside the final 10 minutes.

It was a day of milestones for the Reds, with Millie Turner making her 150th appearance for the club and Marc Skinner managing his 100th game – each was presented a commemorative shirt by United sporting director Dan Ashworth at pitch-side before kick-off. There was also a club record crowd for a United Women fixture at Leigh Sports Village, with 8,348 in attendance.

FIRST HALF

United made a bright start with some early crosses into the box. Ella Toone also registered a low shot on target that was gathered by Daphne van Domselaar in the Arsenal goal. But the visitors responded with their own spell of pressure soon after and Russo twice narrowly missed the target with powerful strikes, the second deflected over by an excellent Turner block.

Turner also knocked away a Steph Catley header just in front of the goal-line as Arsenal threatened from a corner. But United dug in defensively to weather the storm and it was a more even finish to the opening 45 as both goalkeepers were called into action before the break.

Elisabeth Terland was well placed to meet Celin Bizet’s cross for a header that was well held by Van Domselaar, but it served to raise the volume inside LSV. At the other end, Phallon Tullis-Joyce grasped the ball as it popped up off Caitlin Foord as she arrived onto an in-swinging delivery towards the far post.

SECOND HALF

Both managers made substitutions at half-time looking into fashion an advantage, with Simi Awujo replacing Lisa Naalsund in red and Beth Mead brought on in an attacking reshuffle for Arsenal.

Tullis-Joyce was equal to a close-range Russo header as the Gunners quickly created the first chance after the restart. Our no.91 soon dived to her left as Lia Walti’s strike clipped the outside of the post.

Skinner went for a further double change after an hour as Malard, who made her WSL debut in this fixture last season, and Jayde Riviere entered the fray. But Arsenal were then suddenly ahead when Russo broke free in the box and was there to finish Emily Fox’s cut-back from the right.

Geyse made her return from a recent injury alongside Rachel Williams in a final roll of the dice as the Reds searched for an equaliser. And it was those subs, along with another, who got United back level.

The former’s driving run down the right flank won the Reds a corner, with Williams rising highest in the box to meet the subsequent delivery. Malard was then in the right place at the right time to divert the ball beyond Van Domselaar in a crowded six-yard box to make Leigh Sports Village erupt. Both sides made final pushes for a winning goal during a tense six minutes of added time, with Malard coming up big defensively to deflect a Walti drive over the bar with the last kick of the game. In the end it was a point each.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Tullis-Joyce; Mannion (Riviere 61), Le Tissier (c), Turner, George; Naalsund (Awujo 46), Janssen; Bizet (Williams 77), Toone (Malard 61), Clinton; Terland (Geyse 77).

Unused substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Ladd, Miyazawa, Watson.

Goal: Malard 82.

Booked: Turner 57.

Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Walti, Little (c) (Cooney-Cross 87); Caldentey (Kafaji 87), Maanum (Mead 46), Foord (Hurtig 87); Russo (Blackstenius 78).

Unused substitutes: Zinsberger, Codina, Reid, Kuhl.

Goal: Russo 63.

Booked: Little 10, McCabe 87.

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