Soccer-Goodwin strikes, Earps saves as London City hold Arsenal to stay third

London City Lionesses tightened their grip on third place in the Women's Super ​League after goalkeeper Mary Earps produced a string of superb ​saves, including a stunning late intervention, to secure ‌a ​1-1 draw at Arsenal on Sunday. Earps finished with eight saves in her third start for Lionesses, preserving a valuable point in the closing stages when Frida Maanum lofted an audacious effort towards the top ‌corner, only for the former England goalkeeper to get the slightest touch on the ball and divert it onto the crossbar.

The visitors had fought back from an early setback through Isobel Goodwin, whose equaliser came barely a minute after Maanum had given Arsenal the lead in the 10th minute ‌with a composed finish from Alessia Russo's cutback. Arsenal, who have yet to win a league game at home this season, looked set to ‌take control at the Emirates Stadium when Russo burst into the area and pulled the ball back for Maanum to sweep into the bottom corner.

But London City responded immediately as Goodwin broke free of Leah Williamson and rifled a powerful finish high into the net to silence the home crowd. "It's obviously a big point away from home," Earps ⁠told Sky ​Sports. "I thought either team probably could ⁠have won it in terms of chances, a lot of counter-attacking.

"But really happy that we got the point. Would have liked three, so we'll go back to the ⁠training ground and work out how we could have made that difference to get the three points." Arsenal pressed for a winner after the break, but Earps repeatedly ​frustrated the hosts and capped her display with the dramatic late save from Maanum's looping effort. The eight saves were her ⁠most in a WSL game since 2017.

The result kept London City third on 20 points, six behind leaders Chelsea, while Arsenal remained sixth on 14 points. "It all becomes one big ⁠blur, ​and you're sort of hoping the ref's going to blow the whistle," said Earps, who joined London City in the close season after two years at Paris St Germain.

"But all the girls put their body on the line, and obviously I love defending the goal, I ⁠love making saves. So anything I can do to help the team and use that energy from a save to gain us some momentum." Earlier ⁠on Sunday, Mathilde Harviken struck in ⁠the 76th minute to earn Aston Villa a 1-0 win over Birmingham City, leaving Villa seventh and Birmingham 13th.

Viviane Asseyi scored either side of halftime as West Ham United beat bottom side Charlton Athletic 2-0. ‌West Ham climbed to ‌ninth, while Charlton remained without a point after 10 league matches.