Arsenal Women end winless run – Olivia Smith shares her relief

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·13 de outubro de 2025

Arsenal Women end winless run – Olivia Smith shares her relief

Olivia Smith has revealed a sense of relief within the group after Arsenal Women ended their barren run of form with a much-needed win against Brighton on Sunday.

A 15th-minute Marisa Olislagers own goal proved the difference as the Gunners returned to winning ways precisely a month after their last triumph. Arsenal should have won by a wider margin, with both Smith and Frida Maanum having efforts cleared off the line in the second half. Considering the chances created, the team were almost left to rue their profligacy on a couple of occasions but for the excellence of Daphne van Domselaar.

Vídeos OneFootball

A Much-Needed Lift

Olivia Smith, who forced the own goal, revealed that the win was a welcome relief for the collective after their recent struggles. Speaking to Arsenal media after the game, she admitted:

“Yes, 100% (it’s a relief). Not just for me, but for the whole team. Especially Renee, who brought that up in her huddle, it was really important for us to get three points and the clean sheet.

“It’s a big thing for us, sticking together in these tough moments, I think we’ve done that this week as well.”

Following consecutive draws against Aston Villa and Manchester United, Arsenal Women lost their two previous encounters against Manchester City and Lyon. It was therefore imperative for them to return to winning terms, and Renée Slegers would have been delighted by the result. The win lifted Arsenal to fifth place, five points behind reigning WSL Champions and league leaders Chelsea.

(Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Focus Turns to Benfica

The Gunners are next up against Benfica in the Women’s Champions League. They will make the trip to Portugal on Thursday, and for Smith, it will be a familiar fixture.

She spent the 2023-24 season with Sporting CP, scoring 13 times and finishing second to their fierce rivals. She revealed her excitement about facing the Portuguese giants, saying:

“Yes, I’m super excited, I have a little bit of experience against them, so it’ll be a good game.

“It’s a bit of a rivalry, I was on the rival team, but yes, it should be a good game.”

That clash with Benfica will be the final fixture before the first women’s international break of the season, meaning Arsenal Women will not return to WSL action until early November.

Arsenal Women are ‘Champions of Europe’ having won the UEFA Women’s Champions League in May 2025 – hopefully this win will put them back on track on their return to domestic duty in November.

Your thoughts welcome in the comments.

Benjamin Kenneth

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