Beth Mead scored twice as Arsenal defeated Brighton handily in their Women's Super League opener at a packed Meadow Park. Before Mead increased the score to four, the captain Kim Little and the forward Stina Blackstenius each scored one goal either side of the break.
With two precise strikes in 21 second-half minutes to secure a convincing victory for the Gunners, the leading goal scorer at Euro 2022 broke the previous record for the most goals scored on a WSL opening day.
In the seventh minute, Blackstenius was through on goal when Emma Kullberg brought her down, resulting in Brighton being reduced to 10 players. Following the postponing of the first round of WSL matches in remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II, it marked the start of the season for both teams.
As Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall chases the title for a team that ended a point behind champions Chelsea in 2021–2022, Mead's return to her prolific form provided incisiveness to a confident performance.