Arsenal Women head coach Renee Slegers labelled her side’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Subway Cup semi-finals “super frustrating.” 

Anneke Borbe’s error gifted Elisabeth Terland the only goal in the second minute of first half stoppage time, before Olivia Smith was sent off in the second half after picking up a pair of yellow cards.

“The way we dominated the game, the way we progressed the ball, the way we stopped them from getting chances, the way we deal with the circumstances until that moment, we do so well,” Slegers reflected. 

“It's again about, I think we entered our box and we have shots. That's the one piece that's missing at the moment, to be clinical and be calm and composed in and around the penalty box. So that's what we're working hard on and finding the right balance. 

“But everything else we do so well, but it's about scoring goals, so it's of course very frustrating that we don't do that.”

Asked by the Gooner Fanzine whether tonight’s display was actually an improvement on the two goalless draws against United in the league, Slegers said: “I think so. I think the chances are probably better. It's also a very different game because of circumstances. I think it's quite sloppy on the pitch, there's a lot of fight, but we expected that. 

“So if it's the best game so far, from a chance creation perspective, maybe, and how we stopped them, but they had almost nothing at the Emirates last time around as well. They are really hard to break down, but I think we found some better spaces, some better opportunities.”

Slegers vocally apologised to fans as she walked around the pitch after full-time. She told the Gooner “I always [take responsibility], I always do. But yeah, in this one, definitely. And I feel it deeply, because you see all those fans, and we're 10-v-11, and we are going at it, and it's really hard. 

“The circumstances are hard, it's raining, it's still a sell-out, and everyone just keeps going, keeps shouting, keeps screaming. So I thought the fans did absolutely everything to help us tonight. So I felt sorry for them.”