Four was the magic number for Kinga Szemik as the West Ham United women’s team goalkeeper played a huge part in driving her side to Barclays Women’s Super League victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Shekiera Martinez headed home to put West Ham ahead in the opening stages in east London, though Brighton were back level soon after, as Nikita Parris turned home Rachel McLauchlan’s low right-wing cross.
But second-half goals from Riko Ueki and Viviane Asseyi in the space of four minutes helped Rehanne Skinner's side claim a well-deserved three points at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
According to statistics, the Poland international made four remarkable saves in east London - one from Madison Haley that could have put the Seagulls 1-0 up, and then from Guro Bergsvand and Jelena Čanković, when she flung herself to her left and tipped over the crossbar.
Szemik’s heroics for the Hammers were not done there, however, as she blocked Kiko Seike’s volley early in the second half after Brighton’s No11 had raced in behind one-on-one.
“What a team performance today,” said Szemik. “We played so well, and I'm proud of all of us because we left it all on the pitch today. We scored three goals and had so many other opportunities to score, and it just felt so good to be there together.
“It's been a tough process, and we've been frustrated at times along the way, but here we are today, and I feel like we should be so happy right now, enjoy the moment, and be proud of ourselves.
“It was a great scoreline, and it just felt like we were all in the game. We didn't lose faith for a moment, and we just kept fighting and pressing them high. I think they (Brighton & Hove Albion) were a little bit surprised, to be honest, because they didn't really handle it well.
“I think now we have momentum to just keep going forward.”
Szemik, who maintained her ever-present record between the sticks in the WSL this season, believes her performance against Brighton was her best yet in Claret and Blue, since joining the Club from French Division 1 Féminine club Stade de Reims in July.
She added: “I'm really happy that I've helped the team. I feel like I've been frustrated with myself a little bit with how I performed because I knew I could have been so much better, but here we are today, and I feel like finally I've played the way I can play, and hopefully I can keep on this type of level until the end of the season.”
