Matildas ace Caitlin Foord has had a pretty lean season on the goalscoring front for European champs Arsenal so was naturally ecstatic when she blasted home an early rebound to put the Gunners on course for a crucial 3-1 win at Everton in England's Women's Super League.
Foord's close-range finish in the 15th minute as Arsenal went 2-1 up would have been only her second goal in 16 matches this term -- but it was only later the tireless 31-year-old learned the goal had been officially credited to her teammate Alessia Russo.
It had been the inadvertent deflection off Russo's chest from captain Kim Little's volley that had been clawed into Foord's path by Everton goalie Courtney Brosnan.
But it was only later that Foord learned the lineswoman had already flagged that the ball had crossed the line from the Russo deflection before she had gleefully finished the job.
"Even I thought it was Caitlin Foord's goal -- so we can share it!" smiled England international Russo, who was delighted to mark her 100th WSL appearance with a goal.
Katie McCabe had just a few minutes earlier put the Gunners ahead with a thunderous strike only for Everton's Japanese international Honoka Hayashi to equalise within a couple of minutes.
Substitute Olivia Smith then sealed the victory with Arsenal's third three minutes from time, the victory propelling the Gunners, unbeaten in six-straight league games, to second in the table, five points behind leaders Manchester City, who host Aston Villa on Sunday.
Sam Kerr's Chelsea, who are a point behind Arsenal, travel to Dario Vidosic-managed Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
All three of Arsenal's Matildas shone in the victory over Clare Wheeler's Everton, with Kyra Cooney-Cross excellent in midfield and Steph Catley, as reliable as ever at centre-back, taking the captain's armband when Little came off.
Catley, who's been stand-in skipper while Arsenal's co-leaders Little and Leah Williamson have been absent with injury, then handed over the armband to late substitute Williamson, the England captain who was making her first appearance since lifting the European Championship trophy in July.
Williamson had torn her ACL in April 2023, causing her to miss the Women's World Cup that year, and has also been sidelined since leading England to back-to-back Euro titles with an injury to the same knee that required minor surgery.
