Five things we learned from Leicester 0-1 Arsenal | OneFootball

Frida Maanum makes the difference as Arsenal beat Leicester 1-0 at the King Power Stadium, matching Chelsea and Man City’s weekend wins.

Leicester fought hard in defence from the off, with Sophie Howard instrumental in preventing Arsenal penetrating the back line, until Maanum broke the deadlock.

Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar was handed her debut by Jonas Eidevall, a decision that proved worthwhile as she kept her side ahead through a brilliant save after Deanne Rose almost equalised for the home side.

Here’s five things we learned from the match…

Cooney-Cross excites

Kyra Cooney-Cross has firmly found her place in the team, proving why she should have a place in Eidevall’s starting 11. The Australian’s pace, creativity and possession are serving Arsenal well, and her midfield partnership with Lia Walti looks promising.

Goalkeeper competition

While van Domselaar didn’t have too much to do in the game, she has shown she is fearless when stopping goals and has good spatial awareness between the sticks. Manuela Zinsberger has become a fan favourite and started in goal against City and Hacken mid-week, but the Dutch keeper was handed her debut today, after her summer move from Aston Villa. Eidevall previously suggested he wouldn’t be regularly rotating his keepers, so with solid performances from both keepers, it will be interesting to see who the Arsenal boss begins to favour.

Foxes stand strong

Leicester’s defence is no joke. Howard made her 100th appearance for the club and showed why she is so important for the Foxes back line. Her strength in defence frustrated Arsenal every time they had a shooting opportunity. With Howard alongside another experienced defender in CJ Bott, Leicester’s defence is one to be envied and the team should not be underestimated.

Arsenal finishing

Arsenal’ s problem with finishing continues. Despite five shots, Arsenal were unable to find the back of the net in the first half, even with a multitude of free kicks and chances. Maanum once again came to the rescue of her team, scoring three goals in her last three games. Since her health scare during the Conti Cup final, she has come back into the squad with a new energy – to take every opportunity, and score.

Main stadiums rocking

The growth of women’s football has meant more matches than ever are being played at the main stadiums, creating an electric and inclusive atmosphere. Both sets of fans came out in full voice to the King Power, chanting and cheering their teams throughout the 90 minutes, with neither set of fans wanting to be outsung. It was a battle on the pitch as well as off the pitch.

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