Alessia Russo’s brace propels Arsenal to a resounding victory over reigning champions Chelsea in the Women’s Super League, witnessed by an unprecedented number of spectators at the Emirates Stadium.

In a highly anticipated match at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal emerged victorious with an impressive 4-1 scoreline against Chelsea in the Barclays Women’s Super League. This victory not only showcased Arsenal’s dominance but also intensified the competition at the top of the table. With this win, Arsenal narrowed the gap between themselves and Chelsea, as they are now separated only by goal difference. It was a historic moment as the match attracted a record-breaking crowd of 59,042 fans in north London, signifying the growing popularity and support for women’s football. In the eighth minute, Beth Mead opened the scoring after Kim Little sprinted into the penalty area and passed the ball to Victoria Pelova, who then set it up for the England forward to control and unleash an unstoppable shot that went past Ann-Katrin Berger. This goal marked Mead’s third of the season in the league, an impressive feat considering her recent return from a severe ACL injury.

However, the Gunners were unable to maintain their advantage for a prolonged period, as Johanna Rytting Kaneryd responded for Emma Hayes’ team. The Swede successfully scored a well-executed goal against Manuela Zinsberger, positioning herself near the goalpost. This happened after Jessie Fleming set her up during a rapid and powerful offensive play.

However, Jonas Eidevall’s team took complete control of the match in just three explosive minutes before the first half ended. They then secured a 3-1 lead that proved to be insurmountable. Amanda Ilestedt scored her first goal in the WSL by heading the ball into the net from a corner taken by Steph Catley. This surprised Hayes, who couldn’t believe that Berger was caught off guard and out of position. The situation deteriorated for the current champions as Alessia Russo sprinted down the left side and skillfully struck the ball with her right foot, extending Arsenal’s dominance in this match.

The champions’ frustrations became evident, with Lauren James perhaps lucky to receive only a yellow card for her tackle on Lia Walti. Despite Chelsea having the same number of players on the field, Arsenal converted a penalty kick to score their fourth goal, adding to Berger’s forgettable moments. The goalkeeper of the Blues was punished for misjudging an interception and fouling Russo, who confidently converted the resulting penalty to score her second goal of the match.

It was a discouraging afternoon for Chelsea, and Arsenal came close to scoring a fifth goal when Frida Maanum found Stina Blackstenius, but her shot went over the goal and missed. Eidevall’s team can now anticipate playing against Tottenham in both the League Cup and WSL, with one match at home on December 13 and the other away on December 16.