Thanks for joining me. Unlike the Arsenal and Everton players, go and enjoy the sun.
Full-time: Arsenal 2-1 Everton
Very much a case of job done for Arsenal. It was a pretty poor game for both sides devoid of quality. Miedema’s goal was easily the highlight and Arsenal will be pleased they are one step closer to the title and just need a win against Brighton to seal it.
Key event
90+4 min: A Little cross into the box is cleared behind for a corner and that’s about it of this game.
90+2 min: A corner is swung in from the left by Worm and it has Van Veenendaal but it bounces onto the top of the net.
90+1 min: A deep cross is chucked but Turner fails to make a good connection and the ball runs free.
90 min: A pretty drab finish to this game. There’s not been much quality throughout this half.
88 min: Chance is on for Everton as Kirk looks for a bit of luck.
86 min: Arsenal have not been particularly good today and Everton really should have put the under far more pressure. Toffees have four minutes to do something but don’t look too keen.
84 min: Brownlie is on for Everton as they look to provide some extra energy which they have lacked for a while.
82 min: Carter almost has an immediate impact with a dangerous cross from the right but there is no one there to head it in as it flies across the six-yard box. Levell slows things down as she ties her laces.
80 min: Carter and Schnaderback are on for Arsenal as they look to freshen things up. Veje and Mead are those to make way.
78 min: Some nice play down the right allows Magill to send in a cross but it is headed clear at the front post. Everton need to up it here.
76 min: Arsenal try and pass it around the back to absorb time and then thwack it down the flank, allowing Levell to recover the ball in the corner.
74 min: Little sends in a powerful low cross but it’s got too much on it and Miedema volleys it very high and very wide as she could not control it.
72 min: It’s a drinks break!
We’ve had a tweet ... I think people need to be a touch more professional in these situations and pushing the ref is a pathetic thing to do.
@Will_Unwin Regarding DvD's reaction and Kim Little's support - you will understand if you would know how Arsenal have been unlucky at receiving these tackles in this season. None of them got red cards. Happens often in WSL.
— Deepak (@Deepakr05) April 21, 2019
71 min: Everton need to press Arsenal more here, they’re making it too easy for them to get out from the back. I know it’s hot but they’re one goal away from a potentially great result. Down the other end Bloodworth finds some space 20 yards from goal and rifles a shot just over.
69 min: Arsenal have so much space to work with down the flanks. First, Veje breaks away on the left but her wayward pace is cleared and then Mead gets space on the right but her cross is terrible.
67 min: The co-commentator is trying to come up with a defence for Van Veenendaal but fails to do so. An actual professional goalkeeper picking up a backpass is incredible.
65 min: Mead and Bloodworth combine well on the left but the former can’t make anything of it in when she bursts in the box as she is almost immediately dispossessed.
63 min: Arsenal are looking a touch nervous now. Another here for Everton would massively derail their title ambitions.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Eveton (Boye-Hlorkah, 61)
Embarrassing stuff from Van Veenendaal as picks up a backpass from Williamson. That was impressively amateur. The indirect free-kick from eight yards is worked to Boy-Hlorkah who smashes it through the bodies and into the net. The goalkeeper needs to take a long, hard look at herself.
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59 min: Inexplicably, and rather stupidly, Van de Donk is still having a go at the referee. Her captain, Little, rather than calm things seems to be also criticising the referee. The logic is pretty minimal. On the upside, we’re playing again.
57 min: Stringer with a truly woeful challenge on Mead which only results in a yellow, much to the anger of the Arsenal fans. Van de Donk runs into the referee and pushes her but is only cautioned for her anger. Both should have seen red, Stringer went in over the top and Mead is needing plenty of treatment. Mad looks in pain and seems upset, thinking of the World Cup. Van de Donk was incredibly angry there and she needs to calm down.
55 min: If you want to know how slow this game is, the commentators are discussing individual fans. Not much happening on the pitch.
53 min: If Arsenal hold on here, which they will, a win against Brighton next time out will see them become champions, so they will not want to mess around here too much.
51 min: Arsenal are keeping hold of the ball well, no need to expend too much energy when things are so easy.
49 min: Mead swings in a corner from the left which lands on the head of Williamson just a few yards out but the Arsenal defender sends the cross well over. In worse news the Arsenal defender then fell onto Turner in the back of the net and the Everton player requires some treatment but she seems OK.
47 min: Stringer shows there is still look energy and intent left in Everton as she puts in a full-bloodied challenge on Miedema to make sure she wins the 50:50. Arsenal want a free-kick but it was a very fair challenge.
Second-half
Here we go again!
The sprinklers are on. Some of the fans might appreciate a cooling down, too.
Can Everton turn things around? Everton’s tops scorer Carter is on the bench, so it might be an idea to bring her on at some point as they have struggled to threaten Arsenal.
Half-time: Arsenal 2-0 Everton
The hosts deserve the lead but it’s not been a scintillating clash in Borehamwood, possibly due to the weather being so hot. Miedema’s goal was the highlight of a pretty slow game. Everton have had one decent chance and have rarely threatened.
45 min: Mead sends in a corner which is just about cleared, but only to Veje who smashes a shot from the edge of the area, it looks like it is going into the top corner until Levell dives to her right to tip it wide.
44 min: Everton’s top scorer only has three goals all season, which is a sign that they are unlikely to get themselves back into the match. Still a pretty slow tempo in the sunshine here.
42 min: Everton get a corner but make nothing of it as the referee penalises them for a some pushing in the box.
40 min: Almost a third for Arsenal ad Van de Donk runs free down the right, permitting to cut the ball back for Miedema but she does not strike it cleanly and the ball bounces slowly towards Mead at the back post but Everton recover to clear just before the England international can steer it home.
⚠️ Dink @VivianneMiedema @ArsenalWFC #FAWSL pic.twitter.com/kZeunf2xAG
— The FA Women's Super League (@FAWSL) April 21, 2019
38 min: Charles emails in: “Not all is lost for Everton - they’re getting a decent amount of chances from down the right, where Veje seems to be having an off day. But props once again to Miedema, a walking (ambling) advert for the gangly, stoop-shouldered footballer who doesn’t seem to be particularly enjoying herself, but is nevertheless fantastic at their job.”
Veje has had a few issues but Everton have struggled with the final ball, anyway.
36 min: The good news for everyone other than Miedema is that they are allowed a drinks break, which is very important in this April heat. Miedema gets up after treatment and walks off to the sidelines, looking OK to carry on.
34 min: Van Veenendaal is put to work for the first time as Boye-Hlorkah once again shows her pace to get onto the end of a pass, allowing her to then set herself and curl a shot from inside the area, which the Dutch goalkeeper repels by diving to her left and palming it clear of goal. Miedema is down injured ... a huge worry for Arsenal. Could be an ankle issue.
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Here’s the opening goal, in case you’ve not seen it ...
🔴 The gunners are gunning early! @ArsenalWFC #FAWSL pic.twitter.com/JQ9EFgaF3r
— The FA Women's Super League (@FAWSL) April 21, 2019
32 min: More great work from Mead down the left as she leaves the full-back for dead, gets to the byline but then her cross is too powerful and beats everyone in the box as it flashes across the goal.
30 min: Is there any way back for Everton? Not really.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Everton (Miedema, 28)
What a cool finish from Miedema! After swapping passes with Mead inside the area, she heads for the goal and does the goalkeeper with her eyes before dinking it into the net from six yards. She makes it look easy. That’s 21 for the season for the Dutch international in the WSL.
Updated
26 min: Mead controls a pass superbly and bears Hinds into the area but she is then stopped in her tracks by a tackle in the area. Maybe it would have been better to pass it but Mead only had one thing on her mind there.
24 min: Arsenal doing a lot of work in the channels and down the flanks as they look to get the wrong side of the Everton defence but the visitors are holding their own.
22 min: Boye-Hlorkah shows an incredible change of pace and looks like she might get beyond Veije but the defender just about recovers and clears for a corner. The resulting set-piece sees Finnigan’s header bounce off a defender for another corner.
20 min: Little slips the ball into the channel for Miedema to get on the end of, after Worm fails to stop it, but then the Dutch international tries to play in a team-mate rather than shoot, allowing Everton to regroup and clear the danger. The tempo of this game is very slow.
18 min: The fans are singing ‘Happy Birthday’ which is lovely but I don’t really know why. Happy birthday to everyone! Will there be some Easter chants soon?
16 min: Everton swing in a cross from the left, which lands on top of Van Veenendaal. The goalkeeper does well under pressure and manages to punch the ball clear.
14 min: Everton try to play out from the back with a one-two but the ball goes loose and is collected on the left wing by Little but her cross is sent out to Mead on the edge of the box, her volley is partially blocked and bounces into the arms of Levell.
12 min: A long diagonal ball is sent to McCabe who lets it bounce on the edge of the area and directs a volley towards goal but it flies wide. McCabe complains, claiming it should be a corner but he referee ignores the protestations. It’s quite a slow game currently, which can be blamed on the weather.
10 min: Arsenal look comfortable in possession and it could be a long afternoon of chasing the ball for them, which will be especially hard in this heat. Everton are getting the ball in good positions in the final third but are yet to make anything of it.
8 min: Williamson sends a long back over the top for McCabe to chase, she takes it into the box but a little too wide and the pull-back finds no one, allowing Everton to clear when the end result could have been far wose.
6 min: Everton have set themselves up to make it hard to break them down so they will be disappointed to easily concede from a set-piece and with a lone forward it might be tough to get back into this.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Everton (Quinn, 4)
A corner is whipped in by Mead from the left to the front post, Quinn dips to head it towards goal but the ball then hits Stringer and ends up in the back of the net. it might be an own goal but we’ll be nice and give it to Quinn.
Updated
2 min: A battle down Arsenal’s right-hand side for territory has resulted in a break from Everton, resulting in a corner for the visitors which is cleared by Quinn’s head.
Kick-off!
Peep peep! Here we go!
A healthy crowd in at Meadow Park, which is good to see. Many might be doing the double and going to the Arsenal men’s play later against Palace at the Emirates later.
After months of football being played in miserable weather it’s delightful to see the sun shining for the season run-in. Hopefully it will aid the two teams at Meadow Park today to create a great game.
Football in the sunshine!
Warm-ups are underway at Meadow Park 🏟@LeahcWilliamson 😇 pic.twitter.com/7IaxkNCTEf
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) April 21, 2019
Thanks to the issues at Yeovil, Everton are safe and will avoid being relegated but picking up just nine points in 17 matches is not a particularly promising effort from the side. They will need to improve next season considering that United are coming up and will not planning on going straight back down.
Both of these sides will be facing Manchester United in the top flight next season ...
There is no margin for error for Arsenal here, they are at home against a very average Everton team and need the points to increase advantage over Manchester City to avoid making the final game of the season into a winner-take-all encounter.
There is another huge game later when Chelsea face Lyon in the Champions League ...
Team news
Arsenal: Van Veenendaal, Evans, Williamson, Quinn, Veje, Bloodworth, Little, Van de Donk, McCabe, Miedema, Mead
Subs: Harper, Arnth, Schnaderback, Mitchell, Kemme, Carter
Everton: Levell, Turner, Worm, Boye-Hlorkah, Magill, James, Stringer, Hinds, Cain, Finnigan
Subs: Flaherty, Bryson, Chance, Bruinenberg, Brownlie, Hughes
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Nice day for it ...
A beautiful day for some @FAWSL action 😎#WeAreTheArsenal ☀️ pic.twitter.com/tUaybZgkcm
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) April 21, 2019
Preamble
It’s crunch time in the Women’s Super League and today is another huge match for Arsenal as they look to win their first title since 2012. They are one point ahead of Manchester City with a game in hand and they will no want to take the race for top spot to the final day, when they will face their nemesis, so a win over Everton is imperative with just three matches to go.
Vivienne Miedema will be looking to win her own personal battle for the golden boot. She already has 20 this season, two more than leading contender Nikita Parris, so the Dutch international will be aiming to put some distance between her and the City forward.
Everton only have nine points from their 17 games so far this season, so few in north London will be particularly fearful of facing the Toffees, who are playing for a bit of pride and will be aiming to show they can compete with those at the top end of the WSL, an irregular feat for them during the campaign.
It’s a glorious day in Borehamwood, so let’s just hope the football will be the same.
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