A deserved first league win of the season
West Ham United women’s team deservedly recorded the first win of their Barclays Women’s Super League campaign with a 1-0 success at home to Leicester City on Sunday.
Rehanne Skinner’s side dominated proceedings at Chigwell Construction Stadium, limiting their opponents to few opportunities with an intense press right from the first whistle. While they remained astute at the back, the Hammers created a plethora of attacks, flooding players forward in numbers, and could have won by more than a single goal.
It was Viviane Asseyi’s strike in first-half stoppage time that secured the Irons’ maiden three points of the league season, which moved Skinner’s team up to ninth in the standings.
After a string of positive and resolute displays in recent weeks, the Hammers more than deserved to record their first win at the weekend and will hope, as Asseyi alluded to in her post-match interview, this is ‘just the beginning’ for their campaign.
Paví's link-up with Vivi for the winning goal
Asseyi’s goal was worthy of winning any match as she capped off a flowing move filled with technique and trickery just before the half-time interval.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Riko Ueki held the ball up for Manuela Paví, unleashing the Colombia international into Leicester’s half. The summer signing weaved in and out of two visiting players with ease, the ball glued to her feet as she glided towards the final third, before threading the ball into Asseyi’s path. The forward remained composed to round goalkeeper Janina Leitzig with her first touch and slot home into an empty net with her second, giving the Hammers lift off.
The match-winner described Paví’s assist as ‘perfect’ in her post-match interview, which helped score a ‘good, collective team goal’.
Keeping a first clean sheet of the campaign
While the main talking point was that West Ham recorded their first three points of the campaign, the victory was also the side’s first clean sheet in all competitions this term.
The back four of Anouk Denton, Shelina Zadorsky, Amber Tysiak and Li Mengwen, who replaced Camila Sáez in the only change to Skinner’s starting XI, all played their part in keeping Leicester at bay, as did shot-stopper Kinga Szemik.
The Poland international was a calm figure in between the sticks, nullifying every threat the Foxes posed from set pieces as she claimed and punched deliveries into the box.
And the Hammers also defended intensely from the front, with the interchanging front four of Asseyi, Seraina Piubel, Paví and Ueki all pressing the visiting backline.
'Mini's' Player of the Match performance
As voted by West Ham supporters, Katrina Gorry was crowned Player of the Match in her first victory as captain of the side.
The No22 battled all game at the heart of the Hammers’ midfield, contributing to the team’s clean sheet by helping to protect the back four while crafting chances for the forwards.
A standout moment came nine minutes before the break, when Gorry’s sliding challenge in the centre circle won possession back superbly for the Hammers, who had four attackers charging at Leicester defence. The captain played Ueki through but unfortunately, her cross was intercepted by Leitzig, with Piubel, Paví and the Australian international waiting to pounce.
The support from the stands
Gorry called for the Chigwell Construction Stadium faithful to be the 12th player against Leicester City and the supporters more than played their part in helping the Irons earn their first three points of the season.
From minute one, the fans were behind Skinner’s side and the West Ham Manager hailed the collective effort of the squad and the supporters after the victory.
“The fans were getting right behind the team and that was really good to hear. It gives a massive lift to the players,” said Skinner.
“We definitely could have had more goals from the chances we created and I think we made life really, really difficult for them. I think that’s helped by the fans, who were fantastic again, and they got right behind us.
“A real big thank you to the fans.”
