Arsenal’s slim title hopes all-but ended by stoppage-time Everton equaliser

Arsenal’s slim Women’s Super League title chances were effectively ended as a stoppage-time equaliser from 16-year-old substitute Issy Hobson saw them held to a 1-1 draw at Everton.

Hobson nodded the ball past Manuela Zinsberger in the fifth minute of added time to cancel out Alessia Russo’s 80th-minute finish.

It leaves Jonas Eidevall’s third-placed Gunners, with two games left to play, five points behind leaders Manchester City, ahead of the table-toppers facing Bristol City away on Sunday evening.

The first chance of the contest came in the ninth minute when an Arsenal attack saw Victoria Pelova play in Stina Blackstenius and her shot was diverted wide by the leg of Courtney Brosnan.

Everton were then inches away from taking the lead as Karen Holmgaard met an 18th-minute corner from her sister Sara Holmgaard with a header that came back off the crossbar.

Arsenal had a lot of the ball for the remainder of the first half without showing much cutting edge, with Caitlin Foord unable to make the most of a decent opportunity when she miskicked in front of goal.

Pelova made much better contact in stoppage time as she drilled a shot wide of the far post.

After the visitors replaced Leah Williamson with Laia Codina at the interval, pressure from them early in the second half saw a Steph Catley header caught by Brosnan and Pelova sidefoot wide from a good position having been teed up by Katie McCabe.

Brosnan then dealt with a tame shot from Emily Fox, before Justine Vanhaevermaet met a corner at the other end with an effort that was comfortably gathered by Zinsberger.

Another good Arsenal chance went unconverted in the 76th minute as Russo’s effort went over – but soon after the visitors made the breakthrough when Brosnan blocked Beth Mead’s shot with her leg and Russo slotted in on the follow-up.

It looked set to be the winner until a special moment arrived in added time for Hobson, the teenager sending a looping header into the net after Arsenal had failed to clear a corner.