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Departing Arsenal legend, Vivianne Miedema, scored as the Gunners comfortably beat Brighton & Hove Albion 5-0 on the final day of the 2023/24 Women’s Super League season.

Alessia Russo scored a brace, and an Jorelyn Carabli own goal and Frida Maanum completed the scoring for Arsenal whilst the Seagulls had chances but they were unable to find the net.

It was a sunny and warm Saturday afternoon at Meadow Park with the home fans in good voice, but it was the visitors who started brightly and had the first opportunity in the 5 th minute when Carabali scuffed her shot wide from inside the area.

The home sides first attempt at goal came in the 8 th minute but Russo saw her poked effort blocked before Albion cleared the ball.

On the 11 th minute, there was applause for Miedema after it was announced during the week she would be leaving the club in the summer, at the end of which Caitlin Foord shot over from 20-yards for the hosts.

The Gunners took the lead in the 17 th minute when Emily Fox made a good run into the area from the right side, got onto the ball and passed to Russo who smashed the it into the back of the net from 12-yards.

Terland headed a deep free kick wide, then the Norwegian international saw her strike deflect off Catley and onto the crossbar then bounce away as the Seagulls looked to quickly equalise.

Russo made it 2-0 to Arsenal in the 24 th minute when Maria Thorisdottir passed straight to her as Brighton were trying to play out from the back with the England international taking a touch past Sophie Baggaley and finishing into an empty net.

Russo went close to completing a first half hat-trick in the 33 rd minute when she got on the end of a long ball from Steph Catley, went past Guro Bergsvand but curled her shot just wide of the far post.

A quick attack from the home side down the left finished with Katie McCabe’s powerful shot being blocked before they appealed for a penalty which referee Lauren Impey waved away.

Five minutes before half time, McCabe’s free kick from 30-yards was easily caught by Baggaley.

The visitors had the final opportunity of the half during stoppage time when Terland picked the ball up on the halfway line, run forward but saw her shot from 25-yards easily dealt with by Arsenal goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo, who is also leaving the club in the summer.

Bergsvand made a superb block as Russo had another chance to complete her hat-trick with the first chance of the second half in the 52 nd minute.

At the other end, Terland was played in but her low shot from just inside the area was saved by the diving D’Angelo.

The Gunners were awarded a penalty in the 55 th minute after Catley had been brought down in the area. Captain Kim Little stepped up to take the spot kick but sent her strike from 12- yards against the post before Brighton cleared.

Miedema came onto the pitch to an amazing reception from the Arsenal fans in the 62 nd minute.

Within two minutes, she was on the scoresheet with her first touch of the ball when she got onto Beth Mead’s pass and finished low past Baggaley.

A few minutes later, the Dutch international saw an effort deflected over as the hosts went close again.

From the resulting corner, another recent Arsenal substitute Codina headed the ball towards goal and despite Carabli’s best efforts it finished in the net to make it 4-0.

In the 72 nd minute, Maanum sent a cross shot narrowly wide of the far post. Four minutes later, Laura Wienroither cut in from the right side but sent her strike straight at Baggaley.

The Seagulls had a chance to get a goal back in the 78 th minute when D’Angelo kept out Veatriki Sarri’s low shot with her foot before the ball went behind off Leah Williamson.

The hosts were still looking for more goals and Foord just couldn’t get on the end of Mead’s low cross across the front of goal.

Miedema played a lovely ball through which Maanum got onto and finished in the 88 th minute to make it 5-0 to the Arsenal.

The final opportunity of the match went the Gunners way when Mead whipped in a low cross from the right but Williamson just couldn’t convert in front of goal.

When speaking to the media after the match, Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall explained that they have been working on keeping Russo in more central areas of the pitch and she has had a good goalscoring record since February.

He said Miedema’s goal was “so well deserved” for her as she has been training so hard and been focused the whole week. “You can never write your own farewell, maybe you can’t do that unless you are her, for me I was 100% sure she was going to score today because that was her wish” Eidevall added.

Line-ups

Arsenal (4-2-3-1):D’Angelo, Fox (Wienroither 68’), Williamson, Catley (Codina 62’), McCabe, Pelova, Cooney-Cross (Maanum 61’), Mead, Little (c), Foord (Agyemang 65’), Russo (Miedema 62’)

Substitutes: Zinsberger, Goldie, Williams, Reid

Goals – Russo 17’, 24’, Miedema 64’, Carabali (o.g.) 67’, Maanum 88’

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-1-3-2): Baggaley, Carabali (Mengwen 80’), Bergsvand, Thorisdottir, Pattinson, Zigotti (Kullberg 69’), Robinson (Symonds 46’), Losada (c), Geum-Min (Sarri 69’), Terland, Haley (Stefanovic 80’)

Substitutes: Loeck, McEwan, Dent

Booked - Losada

Referee – Lauren Impey

Attendance - 3,553