Arsenal Women player ratings vs Aston Villa: Alessia Russo has lift off and Beth Mead is back! Lionesses combine for dramatic stoppage-time winner as Gunners leave it very late to secure first WSL win of the season
A chaotic second-half stoppage time completely changed the complexion of the Gunners' WSL meeting with Carla Ward's side
Holding a frenzied team huddle in just your third league game of the season is normally a sign that things aren't going as planned. And even after Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall took this drastic step in the aftermath of Aston Villa's first-half opener on Sunday, for a long time it seemed like his side's wait for a maiden WSL victory of the season would continue.
However, after Caitlin Foord had struck the post and Alessia Russo had missed a sitter, Katie McCabe started the fightback with a goal from an impossible angle in the 92nd minute. Then, Russo — the target of jeers all game upon her return to Manchester United last week — sent the Emirates into delirium.
Set up by the returning Beth Mead on the edge of the box, the England striker sprayed an effort towards the bottom corner. Daphne van Domselaar got a hand to it, but it wasn't enough to prevent the ball squirming over the line.
It's hard to overemphasise the magnitude of this result for Eidevall and his players. The 35,000 fans in attendance will be hoping that their side can use this as a platform to put their slow start behind them and properly establish themselves as potential title winners.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from a jubilant Emirates Stadium...
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