Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion Women 0, Arsenal Women 4.
Brighton WomenBrighton & Hove Albion Women0Arsenal WomenArsenal Women4
Arsenal sealed a first Women's Super League title since 2012 at the Amex Stadium as they beat Brighton in front of a new WSL-record crowd of 5,265.
The WSL's top scorer Vivianne Miedema fired in the opener off the underside of the bar early on, before feeding Katie McCabe to tuck in the second.
Beth Mead added a fine third, before Dutch midfielder Danielle van de Donk stroked home the fourth.
Victory clinched the title for the Gunners with one match to spare.
- Relive Arsenal's decisive win over Brighton as it happened
- Read more: Man City come from behind to beat Yeovil
For the outstanding Miedema, her brilliantly-taken goal was her 22nd of the league campaign and she nearly added to her tally in second-half stoppage time, but headed on to the bar.
The Gunners - English women's football's most decorated club despite their seven-year wait for the title - become champions of England for the 15th time since first lifting the top-flight crown in 1993.
Victory also saw them secure a second domestic trophy under Australian first-team boss Joe Montemurro, adding to last season's WSL League Cup success.
Brighton, who were already safe from relegation, were playing at the home of their Premier League men's side for the first time, in the climax of their first season since promotion last summer.
Former England boss Hope Powell's side - who remain ninth in the table - impressed in spells but were unable to give the Gunners a major scare after the visitors had taken an early lead.
The new record crowd for the WSL era surpassed the previous mark of 5,052, which was set in a match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium in 2012.
Ahead of their now-less-significant final fixture at home to second-placed Manchester City on 11 May, Arsenal have won 17 of their 19 league games this term, dominating from start to finish.
Arsenal boss Joe Montemurro: "It's an amazing achievement to win the league title after that long, and doing so in the way we did it was very pleasing.
"I'm already thinking about what's to come to be honest and creating a base on which to build on.
"Man City and Chelsea have set the bar over the past three or four years and Arsenal need to be at that level.
"We put some strategies and long-term planning in when I arrived and I'm happy that the title has come a little earlier than I thought."
Brighton boss Hope Powell: "Obviously, Arsenal were deserved winners - they're a very good side.
"We found it tough. I thought we did a little better in the second half but we did expect it to be like this.
"We did our best to try and spoil their party but, for us, it was a massive learning curve against a top-quality side and we have to find the positives from it.
"For a lot of these players, it's their first time being in a professional environment. I think we've done fantastically well considering where we've come from."
Line-ups
Brighton Women
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Hourihan
- 8Barton
- 5WhelanSubstituted forPeplowat 74'minutes
- 20WilliamsBooked at 40mins
- 3Gibbons
- 4Buet
- 10NatkielSubstituted forUmotongat 80'minutes
- 21SimpkinsSubstituted forBrazilat 45'minutes
- 27Connolly
- 7Whelan
- 15Green
Substitutes
- 2Roe
- 6Rafferty
- 9Umotong
- 11Nilden
- 12Peplow
- 16Brazil
- 22Hartley
Arsenal Women
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1van Veenendaal
- 17EvansSubstituted forArnth Jensenat 80'minutes
- 6WilliamsonSubstituted forSchnaderbeckat 71'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 16Quinn
- 2Veje
- 10Little
- 15McCabeSubstituted forCarterat 77'minutes
- 7van de Donk
- 20Bloodworth
- 23Mead
- 11Miedema
Substitutes
- 3Mitchell
- 4Arnth Jensen
- 9Carter
- 21Kemme
- 22Schnaderbeck
- 34Harper
- Referee:
- Lucy Oliver
- Attendance:
- 5,265
Match Stats
Home TeamBrighton WomenAway TeamArsenal Women
- Possession
- Home27%
- Away73%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away26
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away10
- Corners
- Home1
- Away15
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion Women 0, Arsenal Women 4.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Aileen Whelan.
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Attempt missed. Megan Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion Women) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left following a set piece situation.
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Attempt blocked. Megan Connolly (Brighton and Hove Albion Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Viktoria Schnaderbeck (Arsenal Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Viktoria Schnaderbeck (Arsenal Women).
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Ini-Abasi Umotong (Brighton and Hove Albion Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Kirsty Barton.
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Attempt blocked. Danielle Carter (Arsenal Women) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Beth Mead with a cross.
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Attempt saved. Daniëlle van de Donk (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Dominique Bloodworth.
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Attempt blocked. Katrine Veje (Arsenal Women) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Beth Mead with a cross.
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Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Felicity Gibbons.
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Danielle Carter (Arsenal Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Chloe Peplow (Brighton and Hove Albion Women).
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Attempt saved. Aileen Whelan (Brighton and Hove Albion Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ini-Abasi Umotong.
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Attempt missed. Katrine Veje (Arsenal Women) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high following a corner.
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Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Felicity Gibbons.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion Women. Ini-Abasi Umotong replaces Kate Natkiel.
