Goalkeeper Kinga Szemik wants her West Ham United women’s team to channel what is set to be a fierce London derby atmosphere into making life as hard as possible for Chelsea on Sunday.
The Hammers return to Barclays Women’s Super League action for the first time in five weeks at Chigwell Construction Stadium, and there is not a more mouth-watering clash to raise the curtain on 2025 than the visit of the Blues.
Rehanne Skinner’s side ended 2024 in fine form, picking up victories from four of their final six games of the calendar year - and progressing to the quarter-finals of the Subway Women’s League Cup in the process.
Having waited slightly longer for a return to the pitch after the postponement of their Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Liverpool, the Irons are ready to hit the ground running at the start of a new year.
London derbies always have an extra edge to them and Szemik, who joined the Hammers in July from Stade de Reims, has already played against Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal this term. She understands the passion the fans have towards games against fellow London sides, and is determined to get the year underway in the best way possible.
“We’re all very competitive here and Chelsea are a top team, but we want to go out there and make it as hard for them as possible, and win the game,” said the Poland international, who helped her national team qualify for their first-ever major tournament in December last year.
“It’s the first time in my life that I’m experiencing all these derbies in one season, but they’re great. They all have a special meaning, an emotional feeling around them, and you want to win them even more.
“We’re all waiting to get started again. We want to reach the halfway stage of the league season on a good note and we’re all excited to go out there and do our best.”
Szemik has enjoyed being back at Chadwell Heath over the past three weeks, with the women’s team working tirelessly ahead of their return to action. The Christmas break allowed Szemik time to reflect on the first half of the season, and the goalkeeper is confident Skinner’s team will continue to make more positive strides in 2025.
“It’s a process, and I believe in that process,” she said. “We have a very good team and the atmosphere within the squad is great. We all want to make the best out of this season, and I really believe we will.
“This campaign has been frustrating at times, and such a strange season. We’ve lost games we should’ve drawn, we’ve drawn games we should’ve won and we’ve lost points in places that we shouldn’t have lost.
“It’s frustrating, but at the same time we know how close we are [to picking up victories]. It’s not like we’re lacking so much, it’s just little details that, I’m sure if we correct them, we’ll be on the other side of those situations.
“And I’m sure we’ll get more points, which is the main goal for us, obviously.”
