Russo penalty settles scrappy derby as Arsenal end winless run at Spurs

Tottenham 1-2 Arsenal | Barclays Women’s Super League | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | Saturday 24 October 2026

Arsenal ended a five-match winless league run in the most satisfying setting imaginable, with Alessia Russo’s second-half penalty sealing a 2-1 North London derby victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs strike first; Arsenal hit back

Renée Slegers’ team entered the match having failed to win in the league in their past five games, which is a new record for them in the WSL. 

They were also sitting in fourth place ahead of their opponents going into the game, which has not happened before in a WSL derby. 

Slegers made three changes to her starting line-up, with Steph Catley, Taylor Hinds, and Caitlin Foord coming into the side. 

Ona Batlle, Stina Blackstenius and Lotte Wubben-Moy were left on the bench. Russo came into the game playing behind Olivia Smith after scoring a hat-trick in the 5-2 victory in March.

The early signs were ominous. Martin Ho’s hosts, still smarting from a 6-2 defeat at Chelsea, struck first in 13 minutes. Victoria Pelova swung over a corner, Cathinka Tandberg rose above Catley to head in, and Leah Williamson could not keep it out on the line.

They responded quickly; however, as Hinds played the ball into the path of Russo on the left side of the box, four minutes later. She played a low cross to Stanway, who powered her shot past Kop. Kop got a hand to the shot but couldn’t keep it out. It was her first WSL goal for the club, and the remainder of the half was a tense, niggly affair, with the game levelling out at 1-1.

The penalty that decided it

The second half began with a blow for the hosts, as Alice Sombath was forced off injured and replaced by Ellia Morris. Arsenal gradually took control, and Kop twice denied Russo, palming away one first-time effort and then blocking another from close range.

After 56 minutes, Lisa Baum fired against the post, following a flick-on from Williamson. A desperate clearance from Tandberg was caught by Morris’ raised arm, and the referee called for the penalty to be awarded. The composed Russo, who had already provided the equaliser, calmly put it into the back of the net to win the game.

Slegers’ side holds firm

Arsenal finished with 14 shots to Spurs’ five, 11 of them inside the box to the hosts’ two, and an expected goals total of 2.24 to 0.30, according to FotMob. Tandberg’s header was Tottenham’s only effort on target. Pelova was the home side’s best player, but Spurs could not rediscover their early spark.

The contest grew increasingly bad-tempered, with Stanway and Kyra Cooney-Cross both booked and Tottenham committing 15 fouls to Arsenal’s eight. Ho introduced Kirsty Hanson, Shekiera Martinez and Olivia Holdt in search of an equaliser, while Slegers brought on Batlle, Élisa de Almeida, Blackstenius and Smilla Holmberg to help see out seven minutes of added time.

For Slegers, the result stops the slide. It follows draws with Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Birmingham City, and defeats at Chelsea and Manchester City. Arsenal began the day eighth on six points and now have nine.

Next up is the Champions League, with Benfica visiting on Wednesday, before Aston Villa arrive in the WSL on 1 November.