Arsenal 2-0 West Ham United women's team
Pre-Season Match, Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park, Wednesday 27 August 2025, 7pm BST
A second-half brace from Frida Maanum meant West Ham United women’s team fell to a 2-0 defeat away at Arsenal in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday night.
The game was firmly in the balance with less than 20 minutes remaining, but the Gunners’ No12, who was sent on at half-time, struck twice in quick succession.
After a well-placed header back across goal on 73 minutes, Maanum volleyed home from inside the box to earn her side the victory at Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park.
The first half was evenly contested with clear-cut chances few and far between, but the Gunners started brightly, winning a number of set-pieces after intelligent blocks from Shelina Zadorsky and Oona Siren.
England international Chloe Kelly tried her best to inspire her side to an opener inside ten minutes, but her teasing delivery from the right-hand side evaded everyone in the penalty area.
Despite Arsenal enjoying possession in the early stages, it was the Hammers who carved out the first meaningful opportunity of the evening. A wicked Verena Hanshaw corner found Riko Ueki at the back post and the No9 stooped well to send a header at goal, but Daphne van Domselaar made a smart stop at her near post.
Up the other end, Kinga Szemik was called into action. Arsenal delivered a left-wing free-kick that Ueki inadvertently sent towards her own goal and the Poland international got down quickly to palm the ball away from danger. Ten minutes later, a Victoria Pelova strike from the edge of the area rolled wide of Szemik’s right-hand post.
As the first 45 drew to a close, Skinner’s side worked their best move of the half as midfield duo Siren and Katrina Gorry linked up nicely with neat, one-touch passing. Eventually, the latter broke in behind and flashed a ball across goal but Van Domselaar was on hand to get a decisive touch and steer the ball clear of any West Ham bodies in the area.
Both managers made changes at the break, with Skinner bringing on Amber Tysiak, Anouk Denton and Ffion Morgan in place of Eva Nyström, Yu Endo and Manuela Paví.
The substitutes all played their part in a well-constructed team move at the start of the second half, with Siren, Gorry and Viviane Asseyi also involved. Eventually, the latter tried to play Ueki through on goal with a long ball over the top, but it ran through to the grateful grasp of Van Domselaar.
But midway through the second period, the hosts turned the screw. After Pelova came inches away from breaking the deadlock with a deflected effort, Maanum popped up inside the area to give the Gunners the lead, latching onto Jenna Nighswonger’s clipped delivery with a well-placed header.
And soon, Arsenal had a second when the Norway international volleyed past Szemik with less than ten minutes to play.
Our No1 was on hand to make sure Arsenal didn’t add a third in the dying stages, as she stuck out her right boot to deny Taylor Hinds with a brilliant stop from close range.
Arsenal: Van Domselaar, Fox (Reid 46), Wubben-Moy (Codina 46), Catley (Hinds 46), Little © (Nighswonger 46), McCabe (Harwood 64), Kelly (Maanum 46), Foord (Mead 46), Pelova (Lia 82), Russo (Smith 46), Cooney-Cross
Subs not used: Zinsberger (GK), Wellesley-Smith
Goals: Maanum 73, 81
West Ham United: Szemik, Endo (Denton 46), Nyström (Tysiak 46), Zadorsky (Belloumou 64), Hanshaw, Gorry ©, Siren, Asseyi (Wandeler 64), Paví (Morgan 46), Piubel, Ueki
Subs not used: Walsh (GK), O’Hanlon (GK), Houssein, Brown, Cemal
Referee: Lisa Benn
Skinner: Everyone's in a really good space
Manager Rehanne Skinner labelled the Hammers’ friendly with Arsenal as a ‘needed’ test, whilst hailing her side’s defensive determination at Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park.
Her side went toe-to-toe with the Gunners, but were defeated by a brace from substitute Frida Manaaum late on into the friendly.
In the second half, Skinner sent on new signing Leila Wandeler, who displayed her creativity and flair in southern Hertfordshire, which also impressed the Irons boss.
Skinner insisted how excited her side are for the start of the Barclays Women’s Super League season, which commences against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday 7 September.
It was a test that we needed.
This is our sixth pre-season game and I think we've been progressing really positively as a team overall. We've had some really positive outcomes, performances and today was obviously going to be another step up against the Champions League winners. That's what we want at this stage to help us to prepare for the start of the season.
There's little bits to look at with the goals, but right here, right now, the number of players that have played over pre-season, the minutes that they’ve had, the preparation, everyone's in a really, really good space.
The dedication from the defence was really positive.
The attitude, effort and dedication of the team in and around the box was outstanding last year and that’s carried over into this year. We put bodies on the line, people were putting blocks in, we were quick to get out and put people under pressure to limit shooting opportunities. That's been really positive.
We've not been able to keep a clean sheet today, but that's not changing the tone and intent of how hard we're trying to keep those clean sheets and bring the [amount of] goals conceded down.
Leila showed her fearlessness.
Leila's a creative, young, very talented player, and she's fearless. That's something you saw at the Euros with Switzerland - every time she came on the pitch she affected the game really, really well.
She's a really good young player and we want to make sure that we keep getting those little spells out of what she's done today. Taking on three players at once against Arsenal is bold. Fans are going to love to see that, and it's only going to grow with her confidence within the team and how we play as we move forward.
Everybody’s looking forward to the game against Tottenham.
Gametime is just huge in pre-season because it gives you all those opportunities to develop those relationships, to problem solve on the pitch. So this last week is going to help us to finish off those little bits.
I think when we come round to the game against Tottenham, which is obviously huge, it's a London derby, so that's massive for us. Everybody's already looking forward to that. I obviously keep reining them back into the next pre-season game that's in front of us!
We want to make sure that we keep chipping away at the things that are going to make us more ready for that first game of the season.
Wandeler: Rehanne gave me the freedom to play
New signing Leila Wandeler thrived with the freedom manager Rehanne Skinner gave her in West Ham’s friendly with Arsenal on Wednesday night.
The 19-year-old, who recently made the move to east London from Première Ligue side OL Lyonnes, was sent on as a 64th-minute substitute at Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park, and darted straight at the Gunners defenders.
Wearing No27, Wandeler played with a huge amount of confidence, taking on the UEFA Women’s Champions League winners with no fear, and enjoyed playing in a West Ham shirt in front of a crowd for the first time.
“When they (the coaching staff) told me to come on, I was just trying to focus on what other players before me were doing in my position,” she said. “I had to just go and be creative one versus one. I tried to bring that to the team.
“I enjoyed it. I told myself, ‘Just go forward’. Also Rehanne told me, ‘Go, don't think’. I was trying to just go and use my technique. It didn't always work out because when I tried, I lost the ball a few times. But that's what I'm going to try to do to help the team.
“[Having freedom on the pitch] is also the message Rehanne gives to all the players: to be free, play your game, and the players encourage me as well.
“It was a very tough game. We had to fight in every duel, and I think we had a difficult first half. It was difficult to play forward, but at the end we were calmer and thought before playing at the right time. I think that's what we improved on.”
It’s been just over a week since Wandeler first stepped into Chadwell Heath Training Ground, and, having settled into the squad, she is now looking forward to the start of the Barclays Women’s Super League season.
“The girls made it really easy for me to come in. They try to just bring [together] us as a group. I’m very happy and the girls are really nice.
“I can't wait for the start of the season. I’m going to enjoy every second.”
