Brighton boss issues update as player stretchered off and given oxygen after head injury

Brighton Women’s boss Dario Vidosic delivered a positive update on Maelys Mpome with the defender able to to “up and about” despite being stretchered off following a serious injury

Brighton Women’s boss Dario Vidosic stated that defender Maelys Mpome is “up and about” after sustaining a concussion against Arsenal, which resulted in her needing serious treatment and halting the game for more than 10 minutes.

Mpome was defending a cross when the ball hit her directly in the face and left the field on a stretcher. The Brighton defender was first treated on the pitch and placed into a neck brace before being moved onto a stretcher. Six medics helped her off the pitch with an oxygen mask and tank in place during what was a concerning period.

The stoppage saw 13 minutes added on at the end of the game, which was won by the home side, but the French defender was able to travel home with the team.

Vidosic told the Brighton website: “She’s up and about and having a shower, which is very good news. She will continue to be assessed but fingers crossed she’s OK as it’s important for players to come off the pitch as healthy as when they stepped on it.”

Arsenal’s victory owed to Olivia Smith’s first-half cross being deflected into the net after 16th minutes. It moves them to fifth in the WSL – owing to three wins from their opening six games. The visitors, meanwhile, are four points behind in seventh.

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Vidosic confessed that concern for Mpome’s wellbeing may well have an impact on her team-mates as Brighton failed to find the equaliser they needed. Marisa Olislager’s own goal in the first half proved decisive with Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar able to keep the visitors out.

“It’s never nice to see your team-mate get hurt,” Vidosic said. “Maybe that did play a part, fatigue as well. We tried to push everyone as much as we could in a safe way, but maybe it took the rhythm out of the game with the 10-minute pause.”

Arsenal boss Renee Slegers said on the display: “I think we started well and we spent a lot of time in their half. We got the goal in the first half, I think the most important thing today was the three points.

“Of course, everyone knows that results haven’t come easy to us the last couple of games, so everything that we wanted today was three points and we got three points. I think there’s some good moments in the game and there’s some moments we can do better, want to do better, but most importantly, we won today and we got the three points.”

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