Overview

• Arsenal thrashed West Ham 5-1 after an early own goal setback to move top of the WSL with two wins from two.
• Frida Maanum equalised before Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord put Arsenal in control, with Alessia Russo adding a late brace.
• Olivia Smith set up Russo’s long‑range strike and won the stoppage‑time penalty for the fifth goal, building on her debut screamer last week.
• Smith joined Arsenal in a seven‑figure deal of around £1m during a record-spending window in which WSL clubs laid out upwards of £6m and FIFA logged more than $12m in global summer outlays.
• Chelsea completed a five‑year move for Alyssa Thompson for a reported near‑$1.5m upfront plus add‑ons, while London City’s deal for Grace Geyoro was widely reported at €1.65m but disputed by the club.