Birmingham force Arsenal to put women's Super League bubbly on ice

• Arsenal beat Liverpool 4-1 but have to wait to claim title
• Birmingham keep their hopes alive with win at Doncaster

by Tony Leighton 8 months ago

Two goals each by the captain Katie Chapman and the striker Ellen White gave Arsenal a 4-1 home win against Liverpool to put the champions on the brink of retaining their Super League title.

Arsenal's points haul – 30 from their 12 games – cannot be surpassed but the champagne was left on ice as a 2-0 victory for Birmingham City at Doncaster Belles on Sunday night kept alive Blues' hopes of drawing level. Birmingham could clinch the title on goal difference when the two teams meet on the last day of the season.

That scenario is unlikely as Arsenal, who beat Birmingham 4-2 at home in June, are the only unbeaten team and have a goal difference of 20 while their title rivals' is 13 following their trip to Doncaster, where goals from the striker Eni Aluko and the midfielder Jade Moore ensured three points.

Arsenal needed two late goals to wrap up victory against the bottom club, Liverpool. The midfielder Chapman struck twice in four first-half minutes but the striker Katie Brusell pulled back a goal midway through the second half. The Liverpool substitute Hannah Keryakoplis then had a header saved by Emma Byrne.

White scored twice in the last two minutes, leaving Arsenal waiting to be confirmed as champions, a position they achieved in last year's inaugural Super League. Arsenal won the Premier League – the top flight ahead of the WSL's formation – in each of the previous seven years.