After defeating Aston Villa, Arsenal welcomed WSL2 side Bristol City to Meadow Park in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, aiming to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
From the first whistle, the Gunners asserted their dominance, pinning Bristol City back and applying relentless pressure to their defence. It didn’t take long for the breakthrough to arrive. Captain Kim Little opened the scoring, finding the net for the second consecutive FA Cup fixture and giving the hosts a deserved early lead.
At half-time, Arsenal manager Renée Slegers introduced Victoria Pelova in place of Mariona Caldentey, and the home side continued to push forward in search of a second goal. Credit must go to Bristol City’s resilient defence, who worked tirelessly to keep the likes of Chloe Kelly, Olivia Smith and Caitlin Foord at bay for much of the contest.
The visitors’ resistance was tested further when Katie Robinson brought down Caitlin Foord inside the penalty area, leaving the referee with no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Alessia Russo stepped up, but in a rare twist, her effort was denied by an outstanding save from goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy.
Concern quickly followed during the rebound, as Olivia Smith went down with a head injury. Medical staff responded immediately, and she was stretchered off the pitch to warm applause from the crowd.
Arsenal soon regained control and extended their advantage, with Victoria Pelova doubling the lead before Frida Maanum added a third to put the result beyond doubt.
The 3–0 victory sees Arsenal cruise into the quarter-finals. Despite the scoreline, Bristol City can take pride in a disciplined and determined performance against the reigning European champions.
We were fortunate enough to have on hand to capture the action.
