Arsenal Women continued preparations for the new season with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City as summer signing Lisa Baum scored the winner in north London.
Renée Slegers’ side faced their WSL rivals behind closed doors at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Wednesday, with Stina Blackstenius putting Arsenal ahead before Lauren Hemp equalised.
The game remained level until late on, when Selina Cerci released Baum and the 19-year-old finished to secure another encouraging pre-season victory.
Arsenal now have just days before their first public home friendly of the summer against Paris FC at Meadow Park on Sunday.
Lisa Baum gives Arsenal early glimpse of summer rebuild
Baum only joined Arsenal from RB Leipzig in July as part of an extensive reshaping of Slegers’ squad.
The winger arrived after scoring six times in 26 appearances during her only Bundesliga season with Leipzig, with Arsenal investing in one of Germany’s most highly rated young attackers.
Her winner against City was therefore an encouraging early sign.
Manchester City’s official match report states that Blackstenius headed Arsenal in front from a corner before Hemp curled in the equaliser.
Caitlin Foord later struck the crossbar, while Cerci was denied from the edge of the area before eventually creating the decisive goal for Baum.
Arsenal confirmed the 2-1 victory, with both of their goals coming from very different points in Slegers’ squad.
Blackstenius remains one of Arsenal’s established attacking options, while Baum represents part of the next phase of the team.
Cerci providing the assist adds another encouraging element following a summer of significant recruitment.
ReadArsenal previously reported that Cerci scored her first Arsenal goal against AC Milan during the club’s training camp in La Manga.
Now Baum has opened her own pre-season account.
Attention turns to Paris FC on Sunday, when supporters will get another opportunity to assess Slegers’ rebuilt squad before the WSL campaign begins away at Brighton on 6 September.
Results remain secondary during pre-season.
Seeing two summer arrivals combine for the winner against Manchester City, however, is exactly the sort of progress Slegers will want to carry into Arsenal’s final preparations.
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