Arsenal were held to a 0–0 draw by Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium despite dominating the match and creating enough opportunities to win it.
Renée Slegers’ side controlled long periods of the Women’s Super League contest, with Lisa Baum twice hitting the woodwork and Alessia Russo missing a major first-half opportunity. Palace goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was also outstanding, producing a series of saves as the visitors survived Arsenal’s sustained pressure.
Molly Bartrip and Teyah Goldie were equally important at the heart of a Palace defence that refused to break, earning their side a point in front of more than 23,000 supporters at the Emirates. Read everything in our Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Match Report.
Arsenal 0–0 Crystal Palace
Competition: Women’s Super League
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Attendance: 23,000+
Date: 13 September 2026
Arsenal take control from the start
Arsenal immediately pushed Palace deep into their own half, with the visitors struggling to progress beyond their own final third during the opening stages. Mariona Caldentey struck the crossbar as Arsenal threatened an early breakthrough.
There was plenty of movement around the Palace defence. Ona Batlle regularly advanced from left-back into midfield or down the flank, while Emily Fox supported attacks from the right.
Kyra Cooney-Cross and Georgia Stanway controlled the midfield, allowing Arsenal to keep Palace under sustained pressure, while Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy largely remained behind the attack. Baum was particularly impressive. The young German repeatedly used her quick feet and technical ability to take on Palace defenders one against one.
Peyraud-Magnin made her first major intervention in the 17th minute. Fox found herself in a dangerous position at close range, but the Palace goalkeeper quickly closed the space and blocked her effort. Arsenal consistently looked for underlapping runs inside the Palace full-backs, but the visitors continued to find answers.
Bartrip then produced a crucial goal-line intervention. Caldentey found Russo free inside the penalty area, but the Arsenal striker’s effort was stopped by the Palace defender. Stanway dragged another attempt narrowly wide as the pressure continued.
Russo misses Arsenal’s biggest first-half chance
Palace were spending most of the match defending but still looked for opportunities of their own. A Stanway foul gave the visitors a free-kick in a dangerous area. The delivery reached the far post, where Wubben-Moy did just enough to prevent Goldie from converting.
Arsenal should then have taken the lead in the 36th minute. Baum was released down the left and delivered an excellent low cross into the penalty area. Russo met it in a dangerous position but sent her effort wide. It was a crucial miss.
Arsenal had completely dominated the opening 45 minutes, but Goldie and Bartrip had led a determined Palace defensive performance to ensure the teams went into half-time at 0–0.
Baum hits the woodwork again
Heavy rain arrived in the second half, but the pattern of the match did not change. Baum produced Arsenal’s first dangerous attempt after the restart and forced a brilliant near-post save from Peyraud-Magnin.
Stanway then sent Caldentey through over the Palace defence in the 51st minute. Bartrip stayed with her and applied enough pressure to make the chance difficult, with Caldentey eventually shooting wide.
When Russo was unable to turn on the edge of the penalty area, she found Baum on the right. The German took aim and struck the crossbar, bringing Arsenal within inches of finally breaking Palace’s resistance.
By the hour mark, Arsenal had registered 17 attempts and more than 50 touches inside the Palace penalty area, but still had no goal. Peyraud-Magnin then produced two saves in quick succession, first denying another Baum attempt before dealing with an effort from Batlle.
Arsenal’s substitutes cannot find the breakthrough
Slegers made her first changes in the 61st minute, replacing Chloe Kelly and Cooney-Cross with Olivia Smith and Stina Blackstenius. Palace responded six minutes later, with Allyson Swaby replacing Jamie-Lee Napier and Kirsty Howat coming on for Annabel Blanchard.
Blackstenius soon tested Peyraud-Magnin after charging towards goal from a tight angle. The Palace goalkeeper made herself as difficult to beat as possible and stopped the Swedish striker at her near post.
Slegers turned to more experience in the 74th minute. Kim Little replaced Caldentey, while Caitlin Foord came on for Baum. Baum departed after an excellent individual performance in which she had been one of Arsenal’s most persistent attacking threats.
Frida Maanum was Arsenal’s final substitution, replacing Russo in the 84th minute. Palace made their final change four minutes later as Larkin was replaced by Sharpe.
Still, nothing changed the fundamental pattern of the afternoon. Arsenal attacked and Palace defended with everything they had.
Palace survive to earn a point
Arsenal continued searching for a winner as two minutes of stoppage time were added, but Palace refused to break. The final whistle was greeted with celebrations from the visitors after an outstanding defensive performance.
Peyraud-Magnin was central to it, repeatedly denying Arsenal when they did find a route through. In front of her, Bartrip and Goldie made crucial interventions throughout the afternoon. Arsenal will instead look back at the chances they failed to convert.
Russo’s first-half opportunity was particularly significant, while Baum twice struck the woodwork during an excellent display.
Slegers’ side had more than enough attacking territory to win the match but could not turn that dominance into a goal.
That makes the result particularly frustrating for Arsenal after draws proved costly in last season’s title race. Dropping two points at home this early in the campaign is not decisive, but it is exactly the type of result they will want to avoid repeating.
Full-time: Arsenal 0–0 Crystal Palace
Starting lineups
Arsenal: Misa; Fox, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, Batlle; Cooney-Cross, Stanway; Kelly, Caldentey, Baum; Russo.
Crystal Palace: Peyraud-Magnin; Napier, Everett, Goldie, Bartrip; Hopcroft, Tsunoda, O’Brien, Larkin; Lloyd-Smith, Blanchard.
Article: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Match Report
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