Eight West Ham United women’s team players were in action for their respective countries this evening, with five involved in UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Second Round Play-Off first-leg clashes.
Defender Amber Tysiak and Belgium have the upper hand going into their second leg with Ukraine after they sealed a 2-0 victory in Antalya.
The 24-year-old started in the heart of the Belgium defence and played the full contest, and her side were ahead after 21 minutes when Ella van Kerkhoven’s stooping header found the back of the net.
Staying resolute, Tysiak and her fellow defensive contingent thwarted any threats from Ukraine but had to wait until the third minute of second-half stoppage time to add a second, as Tessa Wullaert finished expertly.
Also helping her side to a clean sheet was goalkeeper Kinga Szemik, as Poland took another step towards qualifying for their first-ever major tournament with a 1-0 success at home to Austria.
After the two teams went into the break with the tie goalless, Natalia Padilla secured the breakthrough for Poland three minutes before the hour mark.
Szemik, who joined the Hammers in the summer and has started every Barclays Women’s Super League fixture under Rehanne Skinner this term, denied Austria on five occasions on her way to securing Poland’s first clean sheet in eight matches.
Meanwhile, two West Ham players went head-to-head in Edinburgh as Kirsty Smith’s Scotland hosted Oona Siren’s Finland. But the tie remains firmly in the balance heading into Tuesday's second leg following a stalemate that saw both players start for their countries, with Siren coming off after 74 minutes.
Defender Jessie Stapleton picked up some more minutes in a Republic of Ireland shirt as she came on in the 79th minute in her side’s 1-1 draw against Wales.
Both goals were scored before Stapleton, on loan at Sunderland for the 2024/25 campaign, was introduced as Lily Woodham gave the Dragons the lead midway through the first half. But an Olivia Clark own-goal ten minutes before the break assured the tie is honours even heading into the second leg in Dublin.
Elsewhere, competing in a friendly, Hammers Vice Captain Shelina Zadorsky chalked up another start for Canada and kept a clean sheet as she played all 90 minutes of their goalless draw with Iceland.
Also recording more valuable gametime in friendly action was Li Mengwen, who started for China as they fell to a defeat against the Netherlands.
China did have the advantage at half-time courtesy of Jin Kun’s 34th-minute opener, but two goals in the space of six second-half minutes from the home team turned the contest on its head in Rotterdam. Lineth Beerensteyn and Esmee Brugts then also got in on the act.
Meanwhile, Seraina Piubel made a return to Switzerland’s matchday squad, coming off the bench at half-time in their clash with Germany in Zurich.
The visitors cruised to victory, scoring six unanswered goals with Laura Freigang and Lea Schüller both bagging braces.
For details of the Play-Off second legs, and the rest of the Hammers internationals’ upcoming fixtures, click HERE.
