Photo: Bryn Holmes / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Arsenal Women concluded their pre-season camp in La Manga, Spain with a 3-2 defeat to AC Milan in a closely contested friendly on Wednesday.
Leah Williamson and Selina Cerci were on the scoresheet for Arsenal, but the Italian side struck three times to take the win in scorching conditions.
AC Milan took the lead against the run of play when Thea Kyvag capitalised on defensive confusion to score after 25 minutes. Arsenal pushed for an equaliser, with Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius both hitting the crossbar from aerial efforts, while Kim Little had a volley smothered by the keeper.
Arsenal levelled early in the second half through a set piece, with Olivia Smith's powerful corner met by a Williamson header at the front post. Smith herself came close to adding a second before being brought down outside the box. Academy prospects Kyri Teer-Hutchins, Amelia Marriott, Abi Conway and Bella Cowley all featured and combined well with the senior squad.
Milan restored their lead on 70 minutes when Sara Stokic curled a powerful strike past goalkeeper Isabella Damm. Damm responded with a strong double save to deny Stokic a second shortly after.
Cerci pulled Arsenal level with a strike from outside the area for her first goal in Arsenal colours, having earlier seen a bullet header cannon off the crossbar from a Chloe Kelly corner. However, Monica Renzotti completed the scoring for Milan from the restart in the final seconds to seal a 3-2 win.
Arsenal's Women's Super League campaign opens with a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion. Before that, the club will host Paris FC on August 23 and Charlton Athletic on August 26 in friendlies at Mangata Developments Stadium.