It is perhaps ironic that it was Beth Mead who denied Vivianne Miedema a perfect return to the Emirates.
Miedema, who spent seven years at Arsenal, had scored the goal that had drawn Manchester City level after Frida Maanum had opened the scoring. Jess Park’s magnificent half-volley had then put City ahead and when Miedema came on in the 74th minute to a standing ovation from both sets of fans, she looked set to cap off her debut with a well-deserved victory.
But Mead, her regular partner, had other ideas. The forward, who had been on the bench just after the hour, fired in the equaliser in the 81st minute to salvage a point for the Gunners.
Miedema was embraced by her former team-mates at the final whistle and City manager Gareth Taylor admitted she found the return to her old team difficult.
“Today was a big day for her and it’s hard for her to get through this,” Taylor said.
Vivianne Miedema (left) scored on her return to the Emirates but was denied victory
Miedema scored with a convincing shot to initially bring Man City level with Arsenal
Beth Mead earned Arsenal a point in their WSL opener with a late goal at the Emirates
‘I’ve had good conversations with Viv all week and I could tell this was a game she wasn’t comfortable with and we can understand all the reasons for that.
“It’s really hard when you go back to a former club, especially when you go back to a club you’ve been at for so long. I think she’s glad she’s put it aside for now.”
City had dominated possession in the early stages and were inches away from opening the scoring when Miedema robbed Kim Little of possession. The forward attempted to deny Manuela Zinsberger a shot from distance, but the ball bounced just wide.
Within seconds Arsenal went ahead at the other end. Caitlin Foord found space on the right and her cross was tapped back by Stina Blackstenius to Maanum, who fired powerfully into the top right corner.
City were gaining possession but looked vulnerable to Arsenal’s counter-attacks, with Blackstenius almost doubling the lead with a shot that went just wide.
City struggled to make possession count, but Miedema took matters into his own hands just before half-time. Arsenal failed to clear their lines and Midema knocked Little off the ball before kicking Lotte Wubben-Moy up the backside. The forward’s curling shot was deflected hard by Laia Codina and caught Zinsberger off the wrong foot, sending the ball into the net.
Alessia Russo was unable to convert a golden one-on-one chance in the closing stages
Gunners manager Jonas Eidevall saw his team give away their initial lead before coming back in the closing stages to equalise
Foord thought she had put Arsenal back ahead just after the break, but the forward was ruled out for offside, but replays showed her level with the last defender.
City regained the lead and took the lead in spectacular fashion just before the hour mark. Lauren Hemp’s cross was cleared just as far as Park, who touched the ball once before firing a half-volley that hit the underside of the bar and bounced over the line.
Jonas Eidevall brought on Mead and Alessia Russo in search of an equaliser. The former should have scored the equaliser when one-on-one with Ayaka Yamashita, but the forward had no choice but to direct her shot straight at the City keeper.
Where Russo failed, Mead did not. City believed there had been a foul by Katie McCabe on Chloe Kelly in the build-up, but referee Abi Byrne allowed play to continue and Rosa Kafaji raced forward to fire a shot against the outside of the post, with Mead there to volley home the rebound.
