Composure, Patience and Resolve

September 12, 2025 Chigwell Construction Stadium, London

The evening in east London opened with a stumble. Within minutes, Arsenal were behind: a cross, misjudged, slipped through Daphne van Domselaar’s gloves and cruelly spun into her own net. Yet, Arsenal did not panic. Renée Slegers called for calm, composure, and patience.

By the 21st minute, the balance was restored. Russo’s movement dragged defenders aside, Beth Mead slipped the perfect pass, and Frida Maanum finished with conviction. It was Arsenal’s first incision, Mead’s record 52nd WSL assist, and a strike that mirrored Maanum’s pre-season habit of tormenting West Ham. From there, momentum tilted decisively.

At the interval, Slegers made the change that tilted the contest into dominance: Stina Blackstenius for Maanum. Within minutes, Russo’s deft back-heel sent the Swede through, and she finished to mark Arsenal’s 100th goal under Slegers. Soon after, Caitlin Foord — on her 100th appearance in red and white — rose at a corner to head in the third. What had begun as a test of nerve became a demonstration of control. Arsenal recorded 30 touches in West Ham’s box to their opponents’ six; the Hammers never managed a shot on target.

Rehanne Skinner urged defiance rather than retreat. “When we conceded the third goal, at that point we have to be brave,” she insisted. “We could’ve sat in but we didn’t want to. I’d rather us be positive… even if it costs us late goals.”

And those late goals arrived. Russo struck from distance before coolly converting a stoppage-time penalty won by Olivia Smith. A brace in the closing minutes crowned her as player of the match, and, soon after, player of the month.

From the depths of an early own goal, Arsenal rose to a 5–1 victory — the scoreline emphatic, the authority unmistakable.

West Ham 1 – 5 Arsenal

(D. Van Domselaar OG ‘5, F. Maanum ‘21, S. Blackstenius ‘52, Foord ‘62, A. Russo ‘90, ‘93)