West Ham United women's team 3-0 Southampton
Women’s League Cup Group C, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Wednesday 11 December 2024, 7pm GMT
West Ham United women’s team booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Women’s League Cup with a resounding 3-0 victory against Southampton at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
The Hammers were too strong for the Barclays Women’s Championship outfit and punished their opponents in the second half as Shelina Zadorsky’s first goal for the Club, a Paige Peake own-goal and a Dagný Brynjarsdóttir strike sealed Rehanne Skinner’s side’s spot in the final eight of the competition.
The Irons could have hit more than the three past the Saints as Brynjarsdóttir sent her first-half penalty over the bar, but it failed to affect the overall result as the hosts made it three wins from three games in Group C and will head into the knockout stages brimming with confidence.
The first half failed to live up to the breathtaking heights of Sunday’s first period, but the Hammers enjoyed a lot of the ball as they looked to break down the Southampton defence.
A number of half chances were created by the home side, which saw Marika Bergman Lundin go close with a skewed effort and Kirsty Smith loop a shot wide of the target, before they were handed a golden chance to break the deadlock seven minutes before the break.
Emma Harries, playing a more central role up front, was taken down in the box and referee Amy Fearn wasted no time in pointing to the spot. However Brynjarsdóttir, donning the captain’s armband, sent her spot kick high over the bar.
Looking to turn the tie in her side’s favour, Skinner turned to the bench at half-time and made a double substitution with Manuela Paví and Zadorsky coming on for Seraina Piubel and Kirsty Smith, and the manager’s changes worked a treat as the latter was on hand to give the Hammers the lead on the hour mark.
Paví launched a free-kick into the box that Shannon Cooke attacked brilliantly and although her header was saved by Benedicte Haland, Zadorsky was in the right place to put home the rebound.
The Hammers continued their dominance as they went in search of a second goal with Paví unleashing two strikes in quick succession. Her first was saved by Haland before she then prodded an effort that just evaded the far post.
Thankfully, the Irons were not left to rue those opportunities as they doubled their advantage on 76 minutes when Brynjarsdóttir’s cross was diverted into her own net by Peake.
Wave after wave of Claret and Blue attacks kept tormenting the Saints defence and although Cooke came so close with a header that struck the post, the hosts did eventually make it three in second-half stoppage time, as Brynjarsdóttir made up for the missed penalty by thumping the ball home after a melee in the penalty area.
It was the perfect way to sign off at Chigwell Construction Stadium in 2024, as the Hammers go in search of a fourth successive victory at Villa Park on Sunday in a return to Barclays Women’s Super League action.
West Ham United: M. Walsh, Mengwen, Cooke, Sáez, Smith (Zadorsky 46), Houssein (Siren 76), Bergman Lundin, Brynjarsdóttir ©, S. Walsh (Way 61), Harries (Ueki 61), Piubel (Paví 46)
Subs not used: Szemik (GK), Denton, Asseyi
Goals: Zadorsky 60, Peake OG 76, Brynjarsdóttir 90+3
Booked: Mengwen
Southampton: Haaland, Brown © (Collett 46), Mott, Bourne (Lucas 46), Watson (Beard 79), Thompson, Griffiths, Peake, Nohasiarisoa (Palmer 68), Roberts, Buckingham (Pike 68)
Subs not used: Stenson (GK), Purfield, Bolton, Udebhulu
Referee: Amy Fearn
Attendance: 468
