In a well-fought contest that could have easily resulted in a draw on another day, Leicester City fell to a narrow defeat in the Barclays Women’s Super League as a second-half strike from Frida Maanum secured all three points for the visitors.

Amandine Miquel opted for consistency in her lineup, making no changes to the starting XI that earned a point on opening day against Liverpool. The only adjustment came on the bench, with new signing Shana Chossenotte replacing Denny Draper. Despite their solid effort, the Foxes were left frustrated as Maanum’s goal proved decisive in a closely contested match.

The action at Filbert Way began at a slow pace, with Arsenal enjoying the lion’s share of possession but finding it difficult to penetrate a well-organized and resilient Foxes defense. Despite their control, the visitors struggled to create clear-cut chances, as Leicester’s backline stood firm, all while the wind whistled through the stadium, adding an extra layer of challenge to the early stages of the game.

Despite 25 minutes of Arsenal dominance, it was Leicester City who registered the first real threat on goal. Jutta Rantala cut inside and unleashed a curling effort aimed at the top left corner, only to be denied by a stunning save from Daphne Van Domselaar, who tipped the shot away with incredible reflexes.Just minutes later, it was Leicester’s turn to be saved as goalkeeper Lize Kop produced heroics of her own, expertly turning a goalbound Arsenal shot behind for a corner. Thanks to these crucial saves, the two sides went into the break at King Power Stadium with the scoreline still level.

Ten minutes into the second half, after a promising start by Leicester, Arsenal took an unfortunate lead. A defensive mistake gifted the visitors a golden opportunity, allowing the ball to be played to Frida Maanum, who calmly slotted it into an empty net.In response, Amandine Miquel made a double substitution in an effort to turn the tide, bringing on Deanne Rose to inject fresh energy on the right wing. Rose’s blistering pace and impressive pre-season performances immediately put Arsenal’s defenders on alert, as Leicester pushed to find a way back into the game.

Leicester’s second wave of substitutions saw the debut of French winger Shana Chossenotte, following her summer arrival from Stade de Reims. Chossenotte’s introduction sparked immediate danger for Arsenal, as she broke in behind the defense and set up Janice Cayman, but the captain’s shot was expertly turned behind by Daphne Van Domselaar.Moments later, Chossenotte found herself in a one-on-one situation, breaking into the box under pressure from an Arsenal defender. Despite her promising position, her effort was blocked by Van Domselaar, with the goalkeeper once again denying Leicester a chance to level the score.

With seven minutes of added time, Leicester City pressed hard for an equalizer, but Arsenal’s defense stood firm, weathering the late pressure to secure the win. Despite a valiant effort, City were left to rue their missed chances, as they remain with just one point from their opening two Barclays Women’s Super League matches. The hosts will no doubt feel that opportunities were there, but their inability to convert left them empty-handed at the final whistle.