Arsenal defeated Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park to move into second place in the WSL standings.
Both teams exchanged three goals in a hectic four minutes, with Katie McCabe, Honoka Hayashi and Alessia Russo exchanging blows before Olivia Smith’s second-half volley sealed the three points for Rene Slegers’ side.
Everton went into this game looking to end their winless run at home in the league, but buoyed by last weekend’s impressive win over Chelsea, they were looking for another upset.
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Katie McCabe’s stunning goal puts the Gunners ahead at Goodison Park.
However, the Gunners dominated the opening stages and deservedly took a commanding lead. Mariona Caldenti started a goal-filled attack, whose first shot was cleared by Hikaru Kitagawa, which allowed McCabe to fire a half-volley into the bottom corner.
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Honoka Hayashi scores the equalizer and Everton wins 1-1 against Arsenal.
Everton’s first shot of the game was even better by Hayashi, who converted it from range beyond Anneke Borbe, but Russo then fortuitously restored the lead.
Kim Little’s misplaced volley hit the striker in the chest and looked like it would be enough for Courtney Brosnan to flick the deflection away from goal, only to be hammered home by Caitlin Ford, but replays showed the ball had already crossed the line.
Everton continued to pose little threat as Arsenal watched the game end, but former Liverpool star Smith volleyed past Brosnan to seal the match for the visitors.
The England captain made his first appearance since the Euro 2025 final after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and there was also a moment to enjoy Leah Williamson, who received a standing ovation from fans of both teams.
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Olivia Smith almost secures the Gunners three points with Arsenal’s third goal against Everton at Goodison Park.
Ahead of Sunday’s WSL match, this means the Gunners temporarily move up to second in the WSL standings, while Everton remain ninth and extend their home run winless run to five games.
Russo: Winter break is a bad time to come.
Arsenal’s Alessia Russo told Sky Sports:
“Even I thought it was Caitlin Ford’s goal, so I can share it!
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After a tumultuous first 15 minutes, Arsenal come from behind to win at Goodison Park!
“It’s all about finding space. Teams in this league are sometimes very difficult. Everyone does things differently. If there’s an opportunity to create half a yard, whether it’s in front of the back line or behind the back line, I’ll take it.”
“I want to be in the box, but sometimes I don’t care if I’m crossing or starting an attack. I try to create space and I have players who can play the nine role even if I go deep.”
On Kim Little’s return: “First of all, off the pitch, she’s a leader and does everything to the highest standard. On the pitch, she’s very stable. She’s like a brick wall. I hate practicing with her. When she comes to my team, I’m very happy. It’s a huge thing to have her back, she’s very important to our team.”
On winter break: “It’s going to be great weather! But when you’re playing and winning, you don’t want any interruptions. We have two more games left so we want to win, and then we can have a little vacation with friends and family.”
“Big moment in Arsenal’s season”
Arsenal manager Rene Sleggers told Sky Sports.
“This is a big moment for us. Many games and a short turnaround. We had to work hard for the first two wins of this block and we knew what Everton did against Chelsea and that they could be very difficult for us.”
“Today I was happy with our control from a possession standpoint. I was happy with the way we solved things with a high press, because they asked a lot of questions in their rotation and were very brave in their play with the ball.”
Olivia Smith celebrates after scoring Arsenal’s third goal against Everton
“I’m happy with our courage and counter-pressure. We were able to pile on the attack. We may have lost strength at some point, but we were able to pick it back up thanks to the game changer.”
“I see one of them scoring the third goal for us, which was important to keep it 2-1. They only need one chance. I’m happy with a lot.”
Sorensen: Everton make noise in opening game
Everton manager Brian Sorensen told Sky Sports.
“Arsenal started very well. As I’ve said several times before, they are the best team in the division when they reach their level and they certainly achieved that in the first 30 minutes.”
“We knew if we stayed in the game we would have a moment to turn things around. We couldn’t take advantage of them in the second half. Sometimes there’s no shame in losing to a better team.”
“We reacted well to the first goal, but unfortunately they scored right after. We were a bit sluggish in the first 20 minutes and that’s where we need to improve.”
