MANCHESTER, England, Oct 4 (Reuters) – Lauren Hemp scored twice as Manchester City came from behind on two occasions to beat Arsenal 4-2 in the Women’s Super League on Sunday, keeping the champions top of the table heading into the international break after a fifth straight win from their opening five matches.
Arsenal went ahead through Lisa Baum in the 43rd minute, but City levelled when Hemp forced the ball home from a tight angle in first-half stoppage time.
Alessia Russo put the Gunners back in front four minutes after the break but again City came back, Kerstin Casparij equalising in the 63rd minute before Hemp put them in front for the first time nine minutes later.
Striker Bunny Shaw sealed the three points in the 84th minute with her fifth goal of the season tocondemnArsenal, who are without a win since the opening day of the season, to their second straight defeat after losing 1-0 away to Chelsea last week.
The loss leaves Arsenal in 10th spot on five points from five games after a dismal start to the campaign.
Earlier in the afternoon, Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea thumped West Ham United 3-0 to put them into second place, two points behind City. They took the lead thanks to a Melvine Malard strike and added two late goals through Keira Walsh and Maika Hamano.
London City Lionesses showed that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the title race, Alexia Putellas scoring twice in the first half of a 6-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, who were left shell-shocked by the pressing of the visitors.
Spurs had only conceded two goals in the first four outings, but they were hit for six as London City notched their third successive win in impressive fashion to move to third place on 12 points.
Charlton Athletic, who are still searching for their first point since being promoted, remain bottom of the 14-team table after a 5-1 hammering at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, with Kiko Seike scoring twice for the Seagulls.
Everton’s strong start to the season continued with a 2-1 win over Birmingham City that lifts them to fifth spot in the table on nine points, two ahead of cross-town rivals Liverpool, who lost 1-0 to Manchester United on Saturday.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor in Stockholm)
