Hemp and Kelly score as Man City beat Arsenal

England players Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly both scored as Manchester City defeated Arsenal in the Women’s Super League at Academy Stadium.

Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger made a number of saves but was beaten again just before half-time, Kelly getting on the end of Khadija Shaw’s pass to double the hosts’ advantage.

In the second half, Gunners striker Stina Blackstenius raced on to a long ball forward and had enough strength and power to hold off Steph Houghton, but saw her shot bounce off the foot of the right post.

The visitors pulled a goal back thanks to Rafaelle Souza’s looping header from Frida Maanum’s deep free-kick, but it was not enough to deny City.

Indeed, the hosts could have won by a larger margin but Yui Hasegawa fired against the crossbar from 30 yards out while Kelly shot just wide from outside the area.

The victory takes Gareth Taylor’s side above Arsenal into third, level on points with second-placed Manchester United, who play at Tottenham Hotspur against Spurs on Sunday.

City, WSL champions in 2016, are also only two points behind leaders Chelsea, although the reigning champions, without a match this weekend, have a game in hand.

City deserve win, Arsenal stumble again

Arsenal – women’s champions a record 15 times – were second last season, just one point behind Chelsea, but have now picked up only two points in their past three WSL matches.

This game came three days after the Gunners had beaten City 1-0 at Meadow Park in the semi-final of the Continental League Cup, but there was no repeat in Manchester.

Jonas Eidevall’s side had an early chance but Frida Maanum fired just wide before poor defending allowed Hemp to score the fourth-minute opener.

Arsenal had kept 16 clean sheets in their previous 21 away WSL matches, but struggled to cope with the skill and pace of Hemp on the left wing and Kelly on the opposite flank.

The Gunners did not help themselves with some sloppy play. England international Lotte Wubben-Moy, substituted at half-time, gifted City a chance only for WSL top scorer Shaw to be denied by Zinsberger.

The Austrian also did well to keep out efforts from Filippa Angeldahl and another shot from Shaw.

However, there was nothing Zinsberger could do just before the break when Kelly got her second WSL goal since scoring the winner for England in the Euro 2022 final against Germany.

Eidevall made a double substitution at the break, with Lia Walti and Katie McCabe replacing Wubben-Moy and Caitlin Foord.

Within five minutes of the restart Arsenal nearly got a goal back but Blackstenius, who scored the only goal in the match between these sides on Wednesday, hit the post.

Souza’s header pulled one back but, without long-term injury absentees Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema – both out with serious knee injuries – they were unable to create a chance for an equaliser as the hosts collected a deserved three points.