“ Arsenal with Dominant 5 - 0 Win Over Crystal Palace

• by Lauren Casey
• Frank Scheuring - PHOTO
• JAN 19 2025
  

The roar of excitement from Arsenal's North Bank fans as Renée Slegers' name echoed through the PA system at Borehamwood was a clear sign of her growing popularity. From being relatively unknown as Jonas Eidevall's assistant to now earning a full-time managerial role, Slegers has quickly become a fan favorite. As the chant rang out—"We’ve got super Renée Slegers, she knows exactly what we need"—it was clear that the players and supporters alike were behind her all the way.

But for Slegers, it’s business as usual. When asked about the significance of her promotion, she simply responded with a smile and a quick "no."

The victory against Crystal Palace, who currently sit at the bottom of the league, might have seemed inevitable, but it marked an important step for Arsenal. It was the perfect way to kickstart a new era under Slegers, who has now led the team to 11 wins in 12 unbeaten games. Bigger challenges are on the horizon, but for now, the Gunners are proving themselves game after game.

It took just six minutes for Arsenal to break the deadlock. Katie McCabe’s corner found England captain Leah Williamson, who slotted it in for her first goal for the club since March 2023. It was a moment of irony, as just two days earlier, Williamson had jokingly dismissed the idea of scoring as a way of connecting with fans. Yet by full-time, she could have had four goals to her name.

Slegers, however, was quick to praise Williamson’s leadership on and off the field. “She’s very intelligent on the pitch, getting her positioning right, finding passes, and knowing what the team needs. She brings leadership, and she’s in a good place,” the manager said.

Despite their early lead, Arsenal found it tough to break down Palace's well-organized defense. They dominated possession, but their final ball was often lacking. Just before the break, Palace nearly punished Arsenal for their missed opportunities. Katie Stengel's clever pass put My Cato in on goal, but the Swedish forward fired wide.

The introduction of Caitlin Foord in the 57th minute proved crucial in breaking the deadlock further. Just six minutes after coming on, the Australian forward cut in from the left and forced a save from Palace’s goalkeeper Shae Yanez. Alessia Russo was in the right place to convert the rebound.

Only five minutes later, Arsenal had a third. Emily Fox picked out Russo, who then fed Beth Mead to score a powerful finish at the near post.

Palace’s defense, already fragile, began to crack. Their struggles to keep their form in a new division became evident, and with just 15 minutes left, Arsenal were awarded a penalty after Annabel Blanchard fouled Foord. Mariona Caldentey made no mistake, coolly slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

In the dying moments of the match, the Gunners sealed their emphatic win. After Russo hit the post, Caldentey pounced to score her second, taking Arsenal’s tally under Slegers to a staggering 36 goals in 12 games.

"We had great impact players," Slegers said post-match. "Our changes made a big difference, and the girls really pushed for more goals. That’s the mentality we want to build for the rest of the season."

For Arsenal, the road ahead promises even greater challenges, but Slegers has certainly laid the foundation for a thrilling new chapter.

Arsenal Women Scorers:

1. Leah Williamson (6')
2. Alessia Russo (63')
3. Beth Mead (68')
4. Mariona Caldentey (75' - Penalty)
5. Mariona Caldentey (90+5')

 Team Lists

阿森纳在WSL大胜水晶宫，庆祝斯莱格斯正式上任 主教练

当瑞妮·斯莱格斯（Renée Slegers）的名字在博勒姆伍德球场（Borehamwood）响起时，北看台的阿森纳球迷爆发出热烈的欢呼声，这无疑证明了她在球迷心中的受欢迎程度。从作为乔纳 斯·艾德瓦尔（Jonas Eidevall）的助理教练，专注于球员的一对一训练，到如今正式上任主教练，斯莱格斯迅速赢得了球迷和球员的认可。看台上的球迷高唱：“我们有超级瑞妮·斯莱格斯，她 知道我们需要什么。” 显然，她确实知道。

然而，对斯莱格斯而言，这一切并没有什么不同。当被问及正式上任的 意义时，她只是微笑着简短回答：“没有。”

虽然战胜联赛垫底的水晶宫似乎是意料之中的事，但这场胜利对阿森纳 来说意义重大。这不仅是斯莱格斯新篇章的完美开端，还让她在接手球队以来取得了12场不败中的第11场胜利。未来的挑战依然艰 巨，但现在，阿森纳正在一场一场地证明自己。

比赛仅仅开始6分钟，阿森纳便率先破门。凯蒂·麦凯布（Katie McCabe）开出的角球被英格兰队长利娅·威廉姆森（Leah Williamson）送入球门，这也是她自2023年3月以来的首粒俱乐部进球。这个进球充满了讽刺意味，因为两天前，威廉姆森还打趣地表示，自己并不会通过进球与球迷 建立联系。然而，到了终场哨响时，她本有机会打入四球。

斯莱格斯在赛后对威廉姆森给予高度评价：“她在球场上非常聪明，能 够正确地站位、传球，并在各个阶段知道球队的需求。她具备领导能力，现在状态很好。”

尽管阿森纳在比赛早期取得领先，但面对水晶宫的顽强防守，他们在寒 冷的天气里经历了艰难的上半场。阿森纳掌控了比赛节奏，但在最后一传上始终欠缺火候。临近半场休息时，水晶宫险些抓住机会。凯 蒂·斯滕格尔（Katie Stengel）巧妙的传球找到了瑞典前锋米·卡托（My Cato），但她的射门偏出球门。

下半场第57分钟，阿森纳换上凯特琳·福德（Caitlin Foord），这一换人起到了决定性的作用。仅仅六分钟后，福德在左路内切，迫使水晶宫门将谢伊·亚内斯（Shae Yanez）作出低扑，阿莱西亚·鲁索（Alessia Russo）迅速跟进补射破门。

五分钟后，阿森纳的第三粒进球到来。艾米丽·福克斯（Emily Fox）精准直塞找到鲁索，后者助攻贝丝·米德（Beth Mead）在近门柱劲射得分。

水晶宫的防线最终被摧毁，他们在新赛季缺乏坚持90分钟的能力暴露 无遗。第75分钟，阿森纳赢得点球，安娜贝尔·布兰查德（Annabel Blanchard）在禁区内放倒福德，马里奥娜·卡尔登特（Mariona Caldentey）冷静主罚命中，将比分扩大到4-0。

补时阶段，阿森纳再下一城，鲁索的射门击中门柱后，卡尔登特补射破 门，完成个人梅开二度。至此，阿森纳在斯莱格斯的带领下，12场比赛已打入36球。

赛后，斯莱格斯表示：“我们的替补球员发挥了巨大作用。我们的调整 改变了比赛节奏，球员们不断追求更多进球。这种心态在赛季结束时可能会发挥关键作用。”

对于阿森纳来说，未来充满挑战，但斯莱格斯已经为球队奠定了令人兴 奋的新篇章。

Team List