Sunderland have surprised many after a bright start to their campaign, including an opening day win at reigning champions Liverpool, but Arsenal came into the game unbeaten, and that statistic remains the same after a convincing 4-1 win over the Lady Black Cats.
The visitor’s keeper Rachael Laws was called into action twice in the first few minutes, firstly saving an effort across goal from Chioma Ubogagu before having to confidently gather a dangerous cross from Danielle Carter.
After just 5 minutes the Gunners took the lead through a Natalia Pablos Sanchon cross that drifted in off the post after Leah Williamson provided the assist.
But the North-East side responded almost immediately, Abbey Joice firing a shot from distance, followed by a Rachel Furness volley just inside the box, but neither effort was on target.
With just 15 minutes on the clock Sunderland were forced into a substitution, Emma Kelly replacing the unwell Keira Ramshaw. And just two minutes later striker Beth Mead nearly equalised for the visitors, finding herself one-on-one with keeper Emma Byrne, but her shot went agonisingly wide.
Luckily it wasn’t long before Mead was presented with another opportunity and this time she did find the equaliser after a rare mistake from Gunners skipper Alex Scott allowed Rachel Furness to flick the ball on to the striker who tapped it over Byrne.
Mead then could have had a second after she was appeared to be brought down in the box by Casey Stoney, but the referee waved away the Sunderland penalty claims, before Leah Williamson nearly put the hosts ahead, unleashing a curling effort from the left which forced a great save from Laws.
At half time with the score still level Sunderland were forced into another change when Rachel Furness was withdrawn with a groin injury and replaced by Kelly McDougall.
For the opening 20 minutes of the second half Sunderland were on defensive duties whilst Arsenal pressed for another goal. Carter, Ubogagu and Pablos Sanchon all had chances, the latter forcing both a stunning save from Laws and a vital tackle from captain Steph Bannon.
Arsenal then made a double substitution with Kelly Smith and Carla Humphrey replacing Lianne Sanderson and Ubogagu. But just seven minutes after coming on, Smith’s game was over after she was injured following a foul in the box by Sunderland right back Abby Holmes who was subsequently red-carded and the hosts were awarded a spot-kick.
Pablos Sanchon then stepped up to score her second of the game, converting the penalty by sending Laws the wrong way.
After going down to ten players the Lady Black Cats struggled to contain the trigger-happy Gunners. Five minutes after the penalty substitute Humphrey made it 3-1 with a simple tap-in at the back post from a Carter cross, and then with five minutes to go Carter herself got on the scoresheet, smashing a shot into the bottom left-hand corner from 20 yards.
The result meant Arsenal continued to keep pace with top of the table Chelsea, while Sunderland slipped to fourth following Liverpool’s victory over Manchester City.
