West Ham United women’s team’s enthralling 2-2 draw with Chelsea was a landmark occasion for Riko Ueki, as it marked her 50th game for the Club.
The Japan international joined the Irons in the summer of 2023 from Tokyo Verdy Beleza and has since featured in every Barclays Women's Super League match under Rehanne Skinner to date, scoring 12 goals in all competitions.
The 25-year-old played a key part in the Hammers’ route back into Sunday’s WSL clash at Kingsmeadow. Off balance, three minutes before half-time, she did incredibly well to pick out Shekiera Martinez with a searching through ball into the penalty area, and the Germany U23 international calmly controlled before hammering home past Hannah Hampton.
Having halved the deficit, Martinez was on target again, this time in the 91st minute, as she diverted Kirsty Smith’s inch-perfect delivery across goal and into the far corner of the net to end Chelsea's 100 per cent WSL record at home this season.
Ueki and Martinez played alongside Viviane Asseyi in a front three in west London, and the trio have showed just how good their link-up play is over recent weeks.
“In training, I always try to pass to her [Shekiera Martinez],” revealed Ueki. “I was thinking, ‘Where is Sheki?’. I couldn’t really see her when I passed it, but I knew where she was going to be. It was a great goal!
“They are strong players. Viv’s [Asseyi’s] hold-up play is great, and Sheki has great physicality, and I want to collect it [the ball] too, so we are very hard-working.
“It was a great game. We were 2-0 down, but we came back, which was great.”
The forward was surprised post-match when she was told she is now 50-up in Claret and Blue. Ueki has been ever-reliable and has excelled since her move to east London, demonstrating excellent hold-up play and deadly finishing.
Following her half-century milestone, she will now link up with Japan for a friendly with Manuela Paví’s Colombia, looking to take the abundance of positivity from her Club form into her international endeavours.
“I love this team, so I’m so happy to have played 50 games for West Ham. I’m quite surprised it’s gone that quickly!” Ueki smiled.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence at the moment, and we’ll keep the energy with our national teams.”
