Parker scores late equaliser for Villa against Arsenal

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal failed to win for the second successive Women's Super League match as Lucy Parker's late equaliser earned a point for Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners had led since capitalising on a Villa defensive mistake after 10 minutes, when England midfielder Missy Bo Kearns played a careless ball across her own 18 yard box.

Mariona Caldentey intercepted the pass and the ball deflected to Frida Maanum, who fired low past Villa keeper Sabrina D'Angelo.

Norway midfielder Maanum should have made it two before half-time, sliding in to meet Beth Mead's ball across the goal line but somehow putting it wide from a yard out.

And as Arsenal's tempo dropped in the second half Villa came back into the game and snatched a point in the 95th minute when centre-back Parker scrambled the ball home following a corner.

It means Arsenal miss the chance to move top of the WSL, having drawn back to back matches following their stalemate at Manchester United last weekend.

Villa are still winless in four games across all competitions in 2025-26, and remain 10th with two points from their first three league games.

Arsenal analysis: Gunners slip on Villa banana skin again

Frida MaanumGetty Images

Maanum put Arsenal ahead with their 10th WSL goal of the season

Arsenal know only too well how much of a banana skin these opponents can be. Last season, their title hopes were brought to a shuddering halt by a 5-2 defeat at Villa Park - Chelsea won the league later the same evening.

So it was no surprise manager Renee Slegers set about this game with a ruthless mindset in a bid to avoid dropping points again.

Slegers made two attacking changes in response to the blank at Leigh Sports Village last time out, dropping Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord to the bench.

Mead came in for her 150th WSL appearance, with Maanum also stepping up - and it was she who pounced on the early defensive error.

But Arsenal failed to maintain their early control, and after only one effort on target in the whole game against Manchester United they were again shot shy for the majority of the second period on Saturday.

Such are the fine margins at the top of the WSL, it was important Arsenal got straight back to winning ways after their drab draw at Leigh Sports Village, and in a title race against Chelsea, two games without victory could be very damaging.

Aston Villa analysis: Winless but encouraging signs

For the third campaign in a row, Villa's ambitions have been dented by poor early season form.

This draw means Natalia Arroyo's side have failed to win their opening three WSL games for the third successive year.

But they have an excuse this season as two of those matches have been against Chelsea and Arsenal, and their resolution here gives them hope they will not be battling at the bottom for long.

They recovered well from the early mistake and the defence was solid thereafter. When punctured in the second half, ex-Arsenal keeper D'Angelo was on hand to make a fine reaction save from Katie McCabe's drive.

And they created chances - home keeper Daphne van Domselaar twice had to make fine saves from Lynn Wilms free-kicks, and Chasity Grant came close to sliding the ball home early in the second half, before Parker bundled in their late goal to spark celebrations.

Arroyo does have some issues to solve. Villa have only scored twice in four games across all competitions and remain over-reliant on Rachel Daly, who made her 100th WSL appearance here.

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A. Patten
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26 K. Reid
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23 A. Russo
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10 K. Little
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2 E. Fox
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14 D. van Domselaar
6.82
12 F. Maanum
6.72
7 S. Catley
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8 Mariona Caldentey
6.46
11 K. McCabe
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9 B. Mead
6.31
15 O. Smith
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19 C. Foord
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