Mead scores first goals since injury in Arsenal win

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Last updated on 21 minutes ago.From the section Women's Football

Beth Mead scores for Arsenal women against West Ham in the Women's Super League

Beth Mead scored her first Women's Super League goals in more than a year with two first-half strikes as Arsenal earned their eighth consecutive win by beating West Ham United at Meadow Park.

Forward Mead, who was recalled by England on Tuesday for the first time since returning from an 11-month injury absence, curled in to double her side's lead in the 18th minute and added a second from close range four minutes before the break to make it 3-0.

Frida Maanum's angled long-range effort had given Arsenal an early lead and deceived Megan Walsh on the goalkeeper's West Ham debut, although the visitors almost equalised when Viviane Asseyi's header hit the post and were unlucky when the striker struck the woodwork again with a shot from long distance after half-time.

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Hammers captain Hawa Cissoko came close to a late goal but could not bundle the ball over the line during a scramble from a corner.

Mead was making her second successive start following the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that caused her to miss the 2023 Women's World Cup, while Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema also made her second appearance since suffering the same injury as a late second-half substitute.

Arsenal now face a top-of-the-table meeting with Chelsea at Emirates Stadium in their first fixture after the international break on 10 December, when they will start the day three points behind the champions.

West Ham remain above bottom side Bristol City on goal difference.

Line-ups

Arsenal Women

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Zinsberger
15McCabeSubstituted forMaritzat 64'minutes
28Ilestedt
3Wubben-Moy
7Catley
21PelovaSubstituted forWältiat 74'minutes
32Cooney-Cross
9MeadSubstituted forLacasseat 64'minutes
12MaanumSubstituted forMiedemaat 83'minutes
19Foord
23RussoSubstituted forLittleat 83'minutes

Substitutes

5Beattie
10Little
11Miedema
13Wälti
14D'Angelo
16Maritz
22Kühl
24Lacasse
27Codina

West Ham Women

Formation 5-3-2

25Walsh
7Evans
3Shimizu
5Tysiak
23CissokoBooked at 37mins
2Smith
12HarriesSubstituted forZiuat 62'minutes
4Stringer
19HayashiSubstituted forFilisat 85'minutes
20AsseyiSubstituted forAtkinsonat 79'minutes
9Ueki

Substitutes

11Atkinson
16Ziu
17Filis
18Denton
21Cooke
24Stapleton
35Ademiluyi
41Flannery

Referee:Lisa Benn

Attendance:3,686

Live Text

Match ends, Arsenal Women 3, West Ham United Women 0.
Second Half ends, Arsenal Women 3, West Ham United Women 0.
Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Hawa Cissoko.
Attempt blocked. Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kyra Cooney-Cross.
Attempt missed. Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a set piece situation.
Cloé Lacasse (Arsenal Women) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Kirsty Smith (West Ham United Women).
Attempt missed. Izzy Atkinson (West Ham United Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Attempt saved. Izzy Atkinson (West Ham United Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lisa Evans.
Attempt blocked. Lisa Evans (West Ham United Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Caitlin Foord.
Offside, Arsenal Women. Amanda Ilestedt tries a through ball, but Cloé Lacasse is caught offside.
Attempt saved. Hawa Cissoko (West Ham United Women) left footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Riko Ueki.
Attempt blocked. Riko Ueki (West Ham United Women) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lisa Evans with a cross.
Corner, West Ham United Women. Conceded by Lotte Wubben-Moy.
Attempt blocked. Riko Ueki (West Ham United Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Substitution, West Ham United Women. Mel Filis replaces Honoka Hayashi.
Foul by Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal Women).
Amber Tysiak (West Ham United Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Caitlin Foord (Arsenal Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.