Wearing the West Ham United shirt for the first time was a special experience for Oona Siren, who enjoyed every moment of the women's team's emphatic 6-1 win over Portsmouth.
The Finland international made her debut for the Club at Chigwell Construction Stadium on Wednesday, starting the Women’s League Cup Group C victory which saw Rehanne Skinner's side produce a ruthless display.
Seraina Piubel notched her maiden Hammers goal to break the deadlock. Then, after Megan Hornby had equalised from the penalty spot, the floodgates opened either side of half-time with two goals each inside ten minutes from Emma Harries and Viviane Asseyi, swamping the team from the historic maritime city in Hampshire.
Riko Ueki then came off the bench to score a sixth in stoppage-time and secure the Hammers’ biggest victory since defeating Chichester & Selsey 11-0 in the FA Cup fourth round in April 2021.
Siren reflected: “It was an amazing feeling to make my debut. I was a bit nervous, but it was really nice to get some minutes.
“There were good things in my performance tonight. We have a very strong team, and the competition for playing time is tough. This is definitely a place where I'll develop as a player.”
For Siren, this is just the start. She boasts pedigree and experience at some of the highest echelons of the game, having won 14 caps for Finland and played in the UEFA Women’s Nations League and the UEFA Women's Champions League for Finnish club KuPS.
She says it has taken her time to adapt to the rigours of the Barclays Women’s Super League and Skinner’s style of football, and she believes over time the Hammers fans will see noticeable improvement in her all-round game.
“The work here is really professional,” Siren, who joined from Norwegian club Lillestrøm. "I have a lot to improve on. I still need to get used to the new playing style and my teammates.
“The game is more physical and faster than in Norway. It feels like all the teams are consistently high-quality. The difference between the weaker teams and the top teams is just that the top teams capitalise on their opportunities even more effectively.
“This is just the start, and I’ve got a lot more to offer. I'm excited for my journey in Claret and Blue.”
