Arsenal showed the gulf between the Women’s Super League and the lower tiers with a 9-0 thrashing of Leeds in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Gunners have won this competition 14 times, beating Leeds on two of those occasions – in 2006 and 2008. But Leeds have fallen down the football pyramid since then.
Three divisions below their opponents, the Yorkshire club is made up of part-time players who work full-time jobs.
Substitute Stina Blackstenius scored a brace as Arsenal Women thrashed Leeds United 9-0
Caitlin Foord opened the scoring at Meadow Park, putting Arsenal Women in the ascendancy
Recent signing Kathrine Moller Kuhl celebrates after her goal for Arsenal against Leeds
Kim Little scores Arsenal’s third goal from the penalty spot in the game at Meadow Park
Leeds managed to keep the score down to 3-0 at half-time but the difference in fitness levels was evident as the hosts fired in six second half goals.
‘One of our three values is to always be 100 percent, no matter the result, no matter the situation,’ Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall said.
‘It’s so important that we constantly live that. Today we were winning and leading but still needed to be 100 percent. Leeds worked so hard, I know they were tired but they never gave up.’
It was always going to be a case of when, not if, Arsenal broke the deadlock. The Leeds resistance only lasted ten minutes. A Katie McCabe corner caused confusion in the Leeds box and Caitlin Foord was able to force the ball over the line from close range.
Lina Hurtig scored Arsenal’s fourth goal against Leeds during the FA Cup tie
Jen Beattie also managed to get on the scoresheet as Arsenal secured a comfortable win
The Gunners doubled their as two new signings combined. Victoria Pelova found space on the right and threaded the ball through to Katrina Kuhl, who finished smartly.
A third goal came just before half-time as Kim Little converted a penalty after Foord was tripped in the box.
There was no let up for Leeds as Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall brought on four international players for the second half. Thirteen minutes after the break one of them added their name to the scoresheet as Lina Hurtig met McCabe’s corner with a bullet header.
Michelle Agyemang scored her first senior goal as she added to Arsenal’s impressive lead
Victoria Pelova rounded off the scoring as she made it 9-0 to Arsenal in the 83rd minute
Another corner that brought the fifth goal as this time defender Jen Beattie sent a looping header from the back-post into the roof of the net. Arsenal got more and more dominant as Leeds tired and Stina Blackstenius added a sixth and seventh in the space of three minutes.
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There was a first senior goal for Michelle Agyemang, who showed great feet and composure to finish at the back-post, before a strike from Pelova made it 9-0 before full-time.
‘We’re really proud of the players. Arsenal are one of Europe’s best women’s teams,’ Leeds boss Rick Passmoor said. ‘We’ve played one game since December the 4th because of postponements. We’ve beaten teams from the tier above to get here, today was a great experience to look at the reality of the WSL if you want to achieve how good these players are.’