MANCHESTER, England - Tobin Heath struck the equalizer deep into stoppage time as Arsenal snatched a 1-1 draw away to Manchester City in the Women's Super League, while Manchester United went second thanks to a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur earlier on Sunday.
The draw leaves Arsenal top of the table on 26 points, two ahead Manchester United with a game in hand. Chelsea, who were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion, are third on 22 points, with one game in hand over Arsenal and two over United.
After a tense and scoreless first half, City looked set to withdraw Khadija "Bunny" Shaw from the action, but the Jamaican striker was on hand to stab the ball home via the foot of Arsenal keeper Manuela Zinsberger and give her side the lead in the 65th minute.
Controversy as Bunny Shaw opens the scoring!
Should play have been halted after the ball was deflected off the referee? #WatchWithAta #BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/eHZJCuFBsa— ata football (@atafball) January 23, 2022
Arsenal brought on recently-arrived Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius to chase an equalizer but it was fellow substitute Heath who pounced to rattle the ball home in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the game.
TOBIN HEATH #WatchWithAta #BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/Ad2WMglhME
— ata football (@atafball) January 23, 2022
WOW, @TobinHeath #WatchWithAta #BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/FLX1pvPiXJ
— ata football (@atafball) January 23, 2022
Despite their disappointment, the draw lifted City to 20 points and fifth spot in the table, one point behind Tottenham Hotspur.
At the other end of the table, Birmingham City missed the chance to climb off the bottom as they threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Reading, while second-from-bottom Leicester City lost 2-1 at home to Aston Villa.
Everton's poor run of form continued as they lost 3-0 to West Ham United and they are now third from bottom on 11 points, five ahead of Leicester and seven above Birmingham.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Toby Davis)