Eight members of West Ham United’s women’s team were on international duty for their respective senior national teams on Friday.
Six of the eight were selected for UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-off ties, which are being played over two legs during the late-October international window.
Half-a-dozen first-leg ties featuring Hammers were played across Europe on Friday, with the second legs scheduled for Tuesday 29 October. The winners will advance to the second round to be played at the end of November, from where seven winners will join hosts Switzerland at next summer’s tournament.
Midfielder Oona Siren (pictured, above) started and completed the full 90 minutes for Finland in a 1-0 first-leg victory over Montenegro. Forward Linda Sällström scored the only goal of the game inside three minutes at the Gradski Stadion in Podgorica.
Goalkeeper Kinga Szemik was also on the winning side, but her Poland team left it very late to snatch a 2-1 first-leg victory in Romania. The home side took the lead in the first half, before Poland levelled with 17 minutes to go. Romanian defender Maria Ficzay was then sent-off and Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor converted a penalty to give Poland the win with just a minute of the 90 to play at the Stadionul Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest.
Defender Kirsty Smith was introduced as a 58th-minute substitute for Scotland with their tie with Hungary goalless. Two minutes later, former Hammers striker Martha Thomas scored what would be the first-leg winner at the Bozsik Aréna in Budapest.
Jessie Stapleton was on target as Republic of Ireland scored a thumping 6-0 first-leg victory in Georgia. The defender, who is spending the season on loan at Women’s Championship club Sunderland, scored her country’s fourth goal at the M. Meskhi II Stadium in Tbilisi on 82 minutes, seven minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Defender Amber Tysiak was an unused substitute for Belgium in their goalless first-leg draw with Greece in Heraklion.
Teenage midfielder Halle Houssein remained on the substitutes’ bench as Türki̇ye came from a goal down at half-time to draw 1-1 with Ukraine at the Esenler Stadium in Istanbul.
Moving to friendly internationals, captain Katrina Gorry started and played for 78 minutes as her Australia team drew 1-1 with Switzerland at the Stadion Letzigrund in Zürich.
Finally, vice-captain Shelina Zadorsky remained on the bench as Canada drew 1-1 with Spain at the Estadio Francisco de la Hera in Almendralejo.
