# Russo’s Derby Penalty Ends Arsenal’s Five-Match WSL Winless Run in 2–1 Spurs Comeback

- Link: https://tectonicsmediapublications.com/tottenham-arsenal-women-2-1-russo-penalty-wsl-october-24-2026/
- Published: 2026-10-25T12:31:58+00:00
- Author: News Team

**Arsenal Women came from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur Women 2–1 in the north
London derby on Saturday, 24 October 2026, ending a five-match winless run in the
Women’s Super League.** Georgia Stanway answered Cathinka Tandberg’s early opener
before Alessia Russo converted a second-half penalty. The final result is confirmed
by the [official WSL match centre](https://www.wslfootball.com/) and [Sky Sports’ match report](https://www.skysports.com/football/tottenham-women-vs-arsenal-women/report/575803).

It was an important result for manager Renée Slegers, but not a straightforward 
return to form: Arsenal still had to recover from another shaky start, and the decisive
spot-kick was disputed by the hosts.

## Watch: Official WSL highlights — Tottenham 1–2 Arsenal

**Video:** Barclays Women’s Super League, published 24 October 2026. The league’s
official highlights show Russo’s goal and assist in this specific derby. The footage
is hosted by the rights holder on YouTube, not downloaded or rehosted by Tectonics.

[**Watch the official WSL highlights on the league website**](https://www.wslfootball.com/video/russo-stars-with-goal-and-assist-tottenham-v-arsenal-barclays-wsl-26-27)
if the embedded player is unavailable in your browser or region. Playback may depend
on the video publisher’s settings.

## Four minutes that changed the derby

Tottenham struck first in the 13th minute when Cathinka Tandberg headed in a Victoria
Pelova corner. Arsenal’s response was immediate: Russo found Stanway, whose powerful
17th-minute finish brought the visitors level. Rather than allowing the early setback
to define the afternoon, Arsenal restored control of the ball and gradually created
the better opportunities.

The winning goal came in the 56th minute. After a goalmouth scramble, a clearance
struck substitute Ella Morris’s raised arm and the referee awarded Arsenal a penalty.
Russo sent goalkeeper Lize Kop the wrong way. Tottenham disputed the handball call,
an important part of the match’s context rather than a detail to erase from the 
result. [The Guardian’s on-site report](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/24/tottenham-arsenal-wsl-match-report)
details the decision and both sides’ reactions.

## Why this matters beyond derby bragging rights

The victory gave Arsenal their first WSL win since the opening match of the campaign.
Their inability to turn possession into goals had become a recurring concern; against
Spurs, the crucial difference was turning an immediate response and a second-half
spell of pressure into a lead they could defend. Stanway’s quick equaliser was especially
important because it prevented Tottenham from settling into a comfortable counterattacking
game.

For Spurs, the result exposed a different problem. They had the perfect early platform
but struggled to create clear chances once Arsenal recovered. Tottenham’s late push
included an 82nd-minute effort ruled out for offside. Defender Alice Sombath was
also carried off injured; the severity of that injury was not established in the
verified match reporting at publication time.

Arsenal can reasonably take encouragement from the comeback, but one result does
not prove their attacking issues are solved. The stronger test is whether they can
produce sustained chances and avoid conceding first in the matches ahead.

## Match facts and sources

**Competition:** 2026–27 Women’s Super League. **Played:** 24 October 2026, Tottenham
Hotspur Stadium. **Status:** Full time. **Final score:** Tottenham 1–2 Arsenal. **
Goals:** Tandberg 13′; Stanway 17′; Russo 56′ (penalty). Confirmed against the [WSL official match centre](https://www.wslfootball.com/),
[Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/tottenham-women-vs-arsenal-women/report/575803)
and [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/24/tottenham-arsenal-wsl-match-report).

**Featured-image credit:** Jonathan Petersson / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@grizzlybear)(
[Unsplash License](https://unsplash.com/license)). Illustrative football pitch photograph,
not imagery of this match.

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