McCabe and Russo strike in stoppage time as Arsenal beat Aston Villa in WSL

Three games into the domestic season, in the 88th minute, Arsenal were facing a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa and their Women’s Super League title aspirations were in tatters. Then came the return of Beth Mead and a heady roar from the crowd. Then 12 minutes of added time ushered in another roar. Then a rocket from Katie McCabe sent the Emirates Stadium wild – and, finally, a Mead assist and an Alessia Russo strike that breathed belief back into the Gunners’ campaign.

No team have lost more than two games in an entire season and won the league in the history of the WSL and, with just one point from their opening two games, Arsenal had to win.

Jonas Eidevall made five changes to the side that began the 2-2 draw against Manchester United last week, with Caitlin Foord, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Katie McCabe, Frida Maanum and the goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger returned to the starting XI.

There was a very welcome sight on the teamsheet for Arsenal and England fans, though, with Mead named on the bench for the first time this season. She began warming up early in the second half, sending a roar of delight around the stadium.

Carla Ward made three changes to the Villa side that endured defeat against Liverpool last weekend, the former Gunner Jordan Nobbs dropping to the bench with Alisha Lehmann and Adriana Leon for Laura Blindkilde, Maz Pacheco and Simone Magill.

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Neither side has had the start to the season many would have expected. Arsenal’s lone point came against United, while Villa were yet to get off the mark with a defeat by United preceding their loss against Liverpool.

Arsenal started much brighter in front of more than 35,829, conscious that more dropped points would likely mean their WSL title challenge would be over before it had really begun.

In the 12th minute they went agonisingly close to taking the lead when Daphne van Domselaar fumbled Foord’s cross but Pacheco was there to clear off the line. It was a rapid Pacheco who gave Villa a lead decidedly against the run of play midway through the half. With Magill racing towards a ball over the top, Kim Little smashed it clear rather than leaving for the onrushing Zinsberger, conceding a corner. The set piece was swung towards the far post, over the head of Amanda Ilestedt where Pacheco sped in and steered home with her head. It was abysmal defending, with the wing-back unmarked and not having to even leap to connect.

It was another chastening blow for the Gunners, who dominated in terms of chances for the third game in a row but could not make that attacking superiority count. Alessia Russo, signed on a free from Manchester United in the summer, went close with a header late in the half but the ball was cleared off the line again, this time by Rachel Daly.

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There was more agony in the 67th minute, with Foord hitting the far post from the left and the substitute Cloe Lacasse on top of it but unable to turn it in, before Russo poked it straight at Van Domselaar.

The Gunners pushed for the leveller but could not breach Van Domselaar.

It was Foord’s ball wide to an overlapping McCabe that carved out the leveller, the Republic of Ireland captain firing in from an impossible-looking angle. Three minutes later England’s Euro 2022 golden boot winner, Mead, did not let her return be the highlight of a dismal day, cutting back for Russo to slide in from the edge of the box.