1. Determined Hammers get the job done!
There was a huge celebration at King Power Stadium as West Ham United Women battled to their first Barclays Women’s Super League of the calendar year by a 2-1 scoreline.
Not since December had the Hammers picked up three points and as such a determined and spirited showing saw Paul Konchesky’s outfit put the tough run behind them with a comprehensive win in the Midlands.
After a swashbuckling run down the left, Anouk Denton saw her perseverance pay off as her cross deflected off Foxes’ defender Sophie Howard to loop past goalkeeper Janina Leitzig and open the scoring in the Hammers' favour.
Dagný Brynjarsdóttir then converted a penalty to see her side secure a well-deserved three points, despite a late penalty from Hannah Cain.
2. Macca masterclass
There is doubt that the Hammers are indebted to a sequence of stunning saves from stopper Mackenzie Arnold.
The Aussie No1 once again showed her class, with Leicester City the latest side to be thwarted by the goalkeeper’s talents.
In the first half alone, a hatful of stops kept the Irons ahead by the break. First Arnold somehow pushed Cain’s header away from the goal with a superb reaction stop before the break. She also made a neat stop with her right foot to keep the Foxes out.
And while the clean sheet did not come, as Arnold conceded a late penalty, which Hannah Cain then converted, the Aussie goalkeeper was still one of the standout players in an important win.
3. Towering Tysiak
West Ham have a proper player on their hands in Amber Tysiak. The young defender has the lot. Pace. Power. And skill too.
Quick across the ground, Tysiak was vital in ensuring the Hammers got over the line – and alongside fellow centre-backs Grace Fisk and Lucy Parker frustrated a battling Leicester City in the Midlands to secure an important win.
Tysiak became West Ham United Women's first signing of the January 2023 transfer window when she joined from Belgian side Oud-Heverlee Leuven.
Already capped at the senior international level, after a debut for Belgium in February 2021, Tysiak showed there is plenty more to come on Claret and Blue.
With injury affecting her involvement since her arrival, the defender finally earned her full debut for Paul Konchesky’s Hammers in the defeat to Chelsea in the Barclays Women’s Super League and put in another composed showing in successive starts.
Her first win in Claret and Blue too. Get in!
