Shekiera Martinez was overjoyed after scoring twice to help West Ham United women’s team to a 2-2 Barclays Women’s Super League draw at leaders Chelsea.
The Hammers trailed by two goals from Maika Hamano and Aggie Beever-Jones inside the opening 21 minutes of the WSL clash at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, but the Germany U23 international flaunted her array of finishing styles in a masterful display, her first a thunderous half-volley into the net and her second, a stooping header to meet Kirsty Smith’s pinpoint cross to salvage a point.
Martinez, who joined the Irons in the summer from Frauen-Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, but spent the first half of the season in her home country on loan at SC Freiburg, took her tally to five goals in eight league outings this season in a heroic display and was elated after finding the net twice.
“We are really proud to get this point," Martinez beamed. “We had a good feeling before the game, and I'm happy that we had the right feeling for today.
“I think every point is important, and when we can get a point against Chelsea, it's much more important for us.
“The first 20 minutes was not the start we wanted, but we were really happy that we scored that goal in the first half. We knew we were in the game again after the first goal, and we came out even stronger in the second half.
“We were really positive all the time. I think we didn't stop believing, and that's the reason we turned the game around and got a point.”
The draw means Rehanne Skinner's side move up to seventh in the WSL table, having picked up eleven points from a possible 24 since the beginning of January, winning three and drawing two of their eight matches, and are unbeaten in their past three league games.
Skinner’s charges became just the third team to take points off Chelsea in the WSL this season, while they also ended the Blues’ season-long winning streak at Kingsmeadow.
“I'm really happy with every goal I score,” Martinez added. “I think my goals were really important. My team gave me a lot of motivation and power, and it was really important to score the first goal just before half-time.
"My team are always celebrating with me, and after the game, they put me in the middle and let me dance a little bit.
“We're together as a group. We're getting better, and it just makes us stronger every week.”
