Martha Thomas finds the back of the net as Tottenham surprises Arsenal in the north London derby, preventing the Gunners from claiming the leading position in the Women’s Super League.

Tottenham Hotspur achieved a momentous triumph by defeating their long-standing rivals Arsenal with a 1-0 victory in the north London derby, marking their first-ever win in the Women’s Super League. Martha Thomas secured the crucial goal in the second half, while Spurs showcased a determined performance that prevented Arsenal from claiming the top position in the league standings.

During the game, Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal team wasted numerous chances, ultimately succumbing to their second loss in the league this season. Caitlin Foord narrowly missed out on scoring the first goal for Arsenal as her shot hit the post after a clever move from the left side. Barbora Votikova, the goalkeeper for Spurs, made a remarkable save to prevent Frida Maanum’s shot from going in, pushing it onto the post.

In the second half, Arsenal increased their determination, but Alessia Russo failed to take advantage of a perfect chance to give her team the lead as she headed wide from Beth Mead’s cross. Maanum witnessed her strong attempt result in the ball hitting the top of the net, followed by Martha Thomas taking advantage of Arsenal’s missed opportunities. Celin Bizet Ildhusoy beautifully passed the ball to Thomas, who smoothly slid it past Manuela Zinsberger with only two minutes remaining before the hour mark.

In an effort to equalize the score, Mead delivered a corner kick for Amanda Ilestedt, but the Swedish defender was unsuccessful in finding the goal with her header. Vivianne Miedema was brought in to strengthen Arsenal’s offensive line, but she missed her own chance by shooting wide. The match was briefly paused because of a medical emergency among the spectators, leading to 11 extra minutes for Arsenal to try and achieve something in the game. Nevertheless, they were unable to repeat their earlier last-minute achievements, despite scoring five goals in WSL matches this season.

As a consequence of this outcome, Arsenal now sits just behind league leaders Chelsea, only separated by goal difference. Nevertheless, Chelsea could widen the gap to three points ahead of their rivals from north London if they win against Bristol City on Sunday. Furthermore, Manchester City has the chance to overtake Arsenal and claim second place by defeating Everton. After this loss, Arsenal will have ample opportunity for introspection, given that their next WSL match against Everton is scheduled for January 20. In contrast, Tottenham’s victory grants them three points and secures their position in sixth place for the remainder of 2023. This achievement guarantees them a spot in the upper half of the table as they head into the Christmas break. Their upcoming WSL game will be yet another London derby, but this time they will be playing against West Ham on January 21, away from home.