Arsenal Women’s Pre-Season: Smith’s Late Winner and Lia’s Departure

Arsenal Women’s pre-season is beginning to sharpen into focus. The new Women’s Super League campaign is still around the corner, but Renée Slegers already has a late win, a notable departure and another friendly on the horizon shaping her plans for 2026/27.

Smith snatches it at the death

A quiet Sunday in Borehamwood ended with a jolt.

Arsenal Women edged Paris FC 1-0 at Mangata Developments Stadium, thanks to a stoppage-time strike from Olivia Smith. For 90 minutes it looked like a classic pre-season stalemate: useful minutes, solid structure, little cutting edge.

Then Smith stepped in.

The Canadian international, who arrived last summer, cut inside in the 91st minute and bent her finish into the far corner, finally breaking Paris FC’s resistance and giving Arsenal a late, sharp dose of confidence.

For Slegers, the result mattered less than the rhythm. She rotated, tested combinations and pushed her squad further towards full match fitness. The manager was encouraged by stretches of the display but made no attempt to hide the fact that there is still work to do before the real stuff starts.

Leah Williamson, too, took heart from the afternoon. The performance wasn’t flawless, but as Arsenal continue to tune up for another WSL title push, it was another step in the right direction.

Lia moves on to Frankfurt

While one young talent stole the headlines on the pitch, another quietly walked through the exit.

On Friday, Arsenal confirmed that 19-year-old winger Vivienne Lia has joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a permanent deal. Lia entered the club’s academy setup in 2021 at the age of 14, climbed through the youth ranks and now heads to Germany to continue her development.

Her departure slots into an already busy summer of change for the women’s squad, with arrivals and exits reshaping Slegers’ options. The squad-building phase is beginning to settle; the emphasis now is shifting towards turning this group into a fully functioning unit ready for competitive football.

Next stop: Charlton, then Brighton

There isn’t much time to breathe.

Arsenal are back at Mangata Developments Stadium on Wednesday, August 26, when they host Charlton Athletic Women in their next pre-season friendly. It’s another chance for Slegers to refine details, test partnerships and edge closer to a settled side.

Beyond that lies the real marker: the opening Women’s Super League fixture away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday 6th September.

By then, the experiments will need to give way to certainty. The coming weeks will show whether this new-look Arsenal squad can turn promising preparation into a genuine title charge.