Arsenal edge Everton at Goodison as Russo hits milestone on 100th WSL appearance
Arsenal secured a win at Goodison Park, with Alessia Russo marking her 100th Women’s Super League appearance by helping the Gunners to three points and move up to second in the table. Russo bundled home a chest-assisted finish off a Kim Little volley in the 15th minute to put Arsenal ahead after Courtney Brosnan had been left helpless at the near post. Although Russo’s strike appeared to cross the line, Caitlin Foord pounced on the loose ball from close range to extend the lead.
Later, Olivia Smith, a second-half substitute, sealed the result with a 25-yard volley that flew past Brosnan, who failed to keep it out as it arc-ed into the top corner. Arsenal had started strong from the first whistle, and they nearly opened the scoring again when Katie McCabe connected with Rion Ishikawa’s superb clearance at the edge of the box to volley the ball into the far corner after 11 minutes.
Everton drew level soon after, with Honoka Hayashi—who had been decisive against Chelsea last weekend—driving forward from midfield and curling a precise shot into the top corner from distance, leaving Arsenal reeling momentarily.
Nonetheless, Arsenal responded immediately after the restart as Russo struck again, restoring their lead within minutes to spark a rapid four-minute surge that left the Toffees chasing shadows.
Brosnan stood firm for Everton during the closing moments of the first half, notably making a springing save to her left to deny Russo a second goal as the teams headed to the break with Arsenal in front.
The pattern persisted after the restart: Everton trapped in their own half under continuous Arsenal pressure, with Smith coming off the bench to extend the advantage late on.
A noteworthy moment came when Leah Williamson entered the fray for her first action of the season, the England captain returning after a four-month injury layoff that followed the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 triumph in July.
The defeat leaves Everton in ninth place after they conclude the first portion of the campaign without a home point, a stark contrast to their recent upturn in form.
Arsenal analysis: Gunners finally put the game to bed
Ahead of the match, manager Renee Slegers warned that Everton’s unpredictability could complicate Arsenal’s first trip to Goodison. Her caution proved warranted briefly when Hayashi equalised, but Arsenal’s quality shone through as the game progressed.
Despite a slightly unorthodox finish from Russo, her goal typified the striker’s sense of opportunism: be in the right place at the right time and convert when a chance presents itself. Arsenal pressed persistently throughout the match, with Brosnan’s efforts keeping Everton within reach for a period.
With Smith’s late goal, Arsenal finally delivered a comfortable margin, snapping a run of single-goal victories and reasserting their title ambitions as they chase an eight-point gap that Manchester City will aim to maintain against Crystal Palace on Sunday. The win preserves Arsenal’s five-point cushion in the short term and injects momentum heading into the new year.
Everton analysis: Star quality finds a way
Everton approached the fixture buoyed by their surprising victory at Chelsea, their first WSL loss since May 2024, but the reality of facing Europe’s champions exposed their defensive vulnerabilities. Brosnan made six saves and her back line contributed 46 clearances, yet the hosts were undone by Arsenal’s high-caliber finishing and purposeful pressing.
Apart from Hayashi’s exquisite strike, Everton offered little threat, recording only three attempts in 102 minutes with an expected goals value of 0.22. Their defensive approach that worked against Chelsea proved difficult to replicate against Arsenal’s firepower, highlighting the gap between top teams and the rest when star quality is applied at pace.
What’s next for these teams?
Arsenal will look ahead with confidence, aiming to maintain momentum as they press to extend their title challenge. Everton, meanwhile, must regroup and recover after a difficult run of results at home, seeking to turn performances into points as the season resumes.
