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Vivianne Miedema opened her Women’s Super League account for Manchester City with a goal against former club Arsenal in their 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Frida Maanum scored Arsenal’s first of the new campaign eight minutes into their season opener before Miedema, who left the Gunners on a free transfer at the end of last season, drew the sides level with a deflected effort before the break.
Jess Park fired City into the lead with a 58th-minute effort which clipped the crossbar on its way after the hosts dominated the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
But the hosts snatched a point after Beth Mead came off the bench and stabbed home in the 81st minute.
Miedema came close to an early opener when her long-range effort skipped past Manuela Zinsberger, who had come out of goal, but the attempt sailed wide.
Arsenal looked to have missed a chance when Caitlin Foord’s cross evaded intended target Stina Blackstenius in the centre of the penalty area.
Seconds later Maanum fired the hosts into the lead, pouncing on the loose ball and blasting a strike into the top right corner.
They nearly made it two six minutes later when Blackstenius had City goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita beaten, but her low attempt went just wide of the near post.
Zinzberger’s outstretched save denied Lauren Hemp, while Katie McCabe’s alert block prevented Aoba Fujino from doing the same.
It was all square in the 42nd minute after City worked the ball to their summer signing following a fierce battle on the edge of the area, with Miedema’s shot taking a big deflection off the dejected Laia Codina before going in.
Foord had the ball in the back of the net moments after the restart, but the flag was quickly raised.
The hosts remained high up the pitch but, despite the Gunners’ dominant start, it was City hit the front.
Arsenal were unable to fully clear Hemp’s cross, allowing Park to fire the visitors ahead with a half-volley that caught the underside of the crossbar as it nestled in the top corner.
The goal ignited a spark in City, who had a close-range effort from last season’s golden boot winner Khadija Shaw saved.
Both bosses rang changes, including Jonas Eidevall’s introduction of Alessia Russo for Blackstenius.
The England forward quickly got herself involved, twice sending low attempts straight at Fujino.
It was Russo’s England team-mate Mead who brought Arsenal level, stabbing home the rebound from Rosa Kafaji’s woodwork-clipping cross.
Neither side were able to find a winner in seven minutes of added time, Laia Aleixandri coming closest but being denied by Zinsberger.
