Vivianne Miedema fires hat-trick for perfect Gunners
Sunday 21 October 2018 17:47, UK
Arsenal and Manchester City claimed big wins in the Women's Super League on Sunday but Chelsea were held.
Vivianne Miedema fired a hat-trick as Arsenal thrashed Reading 6-0 to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season.
Netherlands forward Miedema headed Joe Montemurro's side - who have won five out of five - into an early lead and further goals from Jordan Nobbs and Beth Mead put them 3-0 ahead at the interval.
Miedema scored her second four minutes into the second half and completed her hat-trick in the closing stages after international team-mate Danielle van de Donk had made it 5-0 in the 76th minute
Georgia Stanway also hit a treble as Manchester City cruised to a 6-0 win of their own at Brighton.
Teenager Stanway opened the scoring with a 20-yard effort and Caroline Weir added the visitors' second just before half-time.
Stanway struck twice more in the space of four minutes - both from outside the penalty area - midway through the second period before Nikita Parris headed a late fifth. Claire Emslie completed the rout in stoppage time.
Karen Carney missed a penalty as Chelsea were held to a goalless draw at her former club Birmingham.
Carney started as a substitute after being the subject of rape and death threats on social media this week following her winning penalty against Fiorentina in the Champions League.
The England forward's second-half spot-kick was saved by Birmingham goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger after Kerys Harrop had fouled Ji So-Yun.
Birmingham defender Hayley Ladd was sent off with five minutes remaining after receiving her second yellow card.
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk's early header secured Liverpool a 1-0 win at West Ham and lifted them up to fourth place, while Lucy Graham's double helped Yeovil win 2-1 at Bristol City.
Graham's first-half opener was cancelled out a minute later by Amber Gaylor, but the Yeovil midfielder headed a 73rd-minute winner.
