Riko Ueki is set to make her 50th West Ham United women’s team appearance in the Hammers’ Barclays Women’s Super League clash at Chelsea.
The Japan international joined the Irons in the summer of 2023 from Tokyo Verdy Beleza and has since featured in every WSL match under Rehanne Skinner to date, scoring 12 goals in all competitions.
The 25-year-old will look to crown her landmark appearance with a positive result and performance in west London, and manager Skinner, who is taking charge of her 50th Hammers match, has made one change to the side that defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 last time out, with Li Mengwen coming in for Manuela Paví.
The defender, who celebrated her 30th birthday on Friday, starts in what will likely be a back-five for the Irons.
Poland international Kinga Szemik starts between the sticks and will be protected by Anouk Denton, Amber Tysiak, Mengwen, Shelina Zadorsky and Verena Hanshaw - who played a hand in the Hammers’ opening goal against Spurs at Chigwell Construction Stadium last weekend.
A midfield duo of captain Katrina Gorry and Oona Siren will once again start from the off for the women’s team - a partnership that has proved so strong in the middle of the park throughout the campaign - and they will support a front three of Viviane Asseyi, Ueki and Martinez. The latter scored her tenth goal in all competitions against the Lilywhites, while Germany U23 international Martinez' first Irons appearance came in the reverse fixture in January.
Skinner has nine substitutes on her bench at Kingsmeadow. Megan Walsh is the goalkeeping option, while Kirsty Smith, Camila Sáez and Eva Nyström are the defensive alternatives at the manager’s disposal.
The midfielder among the substitutes is Dagný Brynjarsdóttir, who has twice scored against Chelsea for West Ham, while Emma Harries, Paví, Princess Ademiluyi and Seraina Piubel will look to provide some extra firepower in attack.
Chelsea: Hampton, Lawrence, Bright ©, Björn, Charles, Jean-Francois, Nüsken, Cuthbert, Hamano, Beever-Jones, Macario
Subs: Spencer (GK), Bronze, Baltimore, Walsh, Kaptein, Kaneryd, Fishel, Ramírez, James
West Ham United: Szemik, Denton, Zadorsky, Tysiak, Mengwen, Hanshaw, Siren, Gorry ©, Martinez, Asseyi, Ueki
Subs: M.Walsh (GK), Smith, Nyström, Sáez, Brynjarsdóttir, Harries, Paví, Ademiluyi, Piubel
Referee: Abigail Byrne
