Five West Ham United women's team players were in action for their respective loan clubs over a busy weekend at home and abroad.
Starting overseas, Shekiera Martinez and Inès Belloumou helped their respective clubs progress to the round of 16 German and Italian Cups.
Martinez’s SC Freiburg overcame second-tier 1. FC Nürnberg 2-1 in the German Cup. The round of 16 draw has yet to take place, with ties scheduled for 22-24 November.
Previously, Martinez had made her debut for Freiburg in a 3-2 Frauen-Bundesliga defeat by Leverkusen on Saturday 31 August. The 23-year-old started and played the opening 64 minutes before being substituted with her team trailing 2-1. Next up for Freiburg is an away fixture at Hoffenheim on Monday 16 September.
In Italy, Belloumou’s Lazio booked their spot in the round of 16 with a 2-1 win away at Orobica. They will face Como over the weekend of 5-7 October.
The versatile 23-year-old had made her debut for Lazio in a thrilling 2-2 Rome derby draw with Roma on Friday 30 August, starting and playing the opening 81 minutes before being substituted with her side leading 2-1, only for Roma’s Elena Linari to net an equaliser two minutes into added time. Lazio play next on Sunday 15 September away at Sampdoria.
In England, Jessie Stapleton and Keira Flannery started Sunderland’s heavy 5-0 opening-day Barclays Women’s Championship defeat at Birmingham City on Sunday.
Lucy Quinn put Birmingham in front after ten minutes at St Andrews, capping off a well-constructed move. Lily Agg added the second just after the half-hour mark, with Chloe Yu-Ri adding a third seven minutes later. Quinn added her second from the penalty spot on 53 minutes after Tegan McGowan was fouled, before Ivana Fuso heaped further misery on Mel Reay’s side.
Princess Ademiluyi was a late substitute for the final 15 minutes of Charlton Athletic’s 3-0 win over Portsmouth at The Valley.
The Addicks, who were runners up in the Women’s Championship last season, laid down an early second marker at the Valley, as Ellie Brazil claimed a first-half brace either of a Jodie Hutton strike to seal an impressive victory.
The trio will be in Championship action again this weekend, with Sunderland hosting Southampton on Sunday, and Charlton travelling to Sheffield United on Saturday.
