Lucy Parker stuns Arsenal with injury-time equaliser for Aston Villa

Arsenal were far from their best and were punished for it, dropping two points for the second week in a row after Lucy Parker’s late equaliser for Aston Villa.

It was a bitterly frustrating afternoon for the Gunners at the Emirates in front of 24,712 fans following a goalless draw at Manchester United, and the point was just reward for a resilient Villa performance that was only let down by a defensive error for Frida Maanum’s early opener.

The manner of the opening goal will have been exasperating for the visitors. It was a gift for Maanum, Missy Bo Kearns’ short pass intercepted by Mariona Caldentey and fed to the Norwegian who slotted in past another former Gunner, Sabrina D’Angelo.

Arsenal were worthy of the lead, dominating possession with Kim Little driving things from the middle, but they struggled to capitalise on that dominance further, managing only two shots on target in the first half despite 28 touches in the opposition box.

Villa, meanwhile, had a kinder return, one shot on target and just four touches . That reflected the level of Arsenal supremacy but Villa are not an easy side to play, despite just one point picked up from their opening two league games.

Arsenal had experienced the strength of Natalia Arroyo’s side in April at Villa Park, with the home side 3-0 up inside 46 minutes before going on to win 5-2. Arroyo expected “a little bit of revenge vibes probably” in their first meeting since that defeat, but after the break it was the Villa who looked sharper. Ebony Salmon went closest in the 53rd minute, her effort slipping narrowly wide of the far post, while they failed to capitalise on a bursting run from Kirsty Hanson, on in place of Rachel Daly at half-time.

Frida Maanum opens the scoring for Arsenal. Photograph: Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Arsenal made changes in the 65th minute, Victoria Pelova and Caitlin Foord replacing Maanum and Olivia Smith, and their best change of doubling their lead in the second half came when the ball landed at Foord’s feet in the box soon after, but her hesitation allowed Villa to nullify the danger. A fine save from D’Angelo denied Katie McCabe, while the goalkeeper got low to halt Pelova’s effort from the edge of the box as they sought to lift the pressure late on.

The sucker punch of an equaliser arrived after four minutes of added time, Lynn Wilms’s free-kick forcing a fingertip save from Daphne van Domselaar and Parker fired in the loose ball from the resulting corner, leaving the Gunners to regret their profligacy.