West Ham United women’s team 1-1 Leicester City
Barclays Women’s Super League, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 5 May 2024, 3pm BST
West Ham United women’s team rounded off their final home game of the Barclays Women’s Super League campaign with a hard-fought point against Leicester City at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
A fast start saw the Hammers take an early lead through Riko Ueki’s well-taken finish, only for Sophie Howard’s header to restore parity after 36 minutes.
The Irons were under considerable pressure in the second half, but defended resolutely to earn a point.
Rehanne Skinner made one alteration to the West Ham side that earned a late draw at Aston Villa last time out, with Anouk Denton coming into the team to replace Shelina Zadorsky in defence.
Both sides had already secured their Barclays Women’s Super League status for 2024/25, but Skinner’s team showed no signs of downing tools, with her side playing for pride – and having an outside chance of moving ahead of the Leicester City in the WSL table.
West Ham started on the front foot with an effort from Denton forcing a diving save from visiting goalkeeper Janina Leitzig and the Irons’ dominance soon prevailed as they took a deserved early lead through Ueki’s powerful finish, after a strong run forward by fellow Japan international Honoka Hayashi down the right.
Leicester almost replied instantly through Jutta Rantala, who saw her free-kick tipped over at full stretch by newly-crowned Women's Hammer of the Year MacKenzie Arnold.
Viviane Asseyi then spurned two good chances to double the Hammers’ advantage, lashing straight at Leitzig from close range before a curling effort went narrowly wide of the far post.
And Skinner’s side were made to pay for their profligacy when Rantala’s corner was met by Howard, who headed beyond Arnold at the front post.
Despite the setback, the Hammers responded positively and went close to regaining their lead as Ueki’s goalbound effort was superbly blocked by Leicester defender Howard.
The visitors came out in the second half with a newfound impetus and had the Hammers on the ropes, backs to the wall, defending their goal desperately.
After Asseyi headed just off target from Jess Ziu’s cross and Kirsty Smith fired high and wide of Leitzig’s goal, Jennifer Foster's charges went even close at the other end.
Finland forward Rantala was integral for Leicester once more in the build-up as her corner found Yuka Momiki, who stole a run on her marker, but could only divert her effort into the side-netting.
The Foxes had the ball in the net moments later when Janice Cayman bundled the ball over the line from close range, though it was ruled out after Lena Petermann was adjudged to have fouled Hayashi underneath the crossbar.
Saori Takarada then spurned a gilt-edged chance when she could only fire straight at Arnold after latching onto Julie Thibaud’s overhead kick, before our Hammer of the Year made two further crucial saves to deny Momiki and Missy Goodwin.
As both sides pushed for a winner, the Hammers had to survive a major scare late on, as the visitors crashed another effort off the crossbar, but battled right until the end to earn a hard-fought point.
West Ham United: Arnold ©, Smith, Cissoko, Tysiak, Shimizu, Denton (Zadorsky 90 +3), Hayashi (Bergman-Lundin 67), Snerle (Harries 46), Ziu (Cooke 80), Ueki (Ademiluyi 90+3), Asseyi
Subs not used: Walsh (GK), O’Hanlon (GK)
Goal: Ueki 13
Booked: Tysiak
Leicester City: Leitzig, Tierney, Howard, Rantala, Petermann, Cayman, Ale, Takarada (Bott 75), Thibaud, Goodwin (Baker 75), Momiki
Subs not used: Kop (GK), Nevin, Palmer, Whelan, Green, Pelgander, Siemsen
Goal: Howard 36
Booked: Ale, Thibaud
Referee: Abigail Byrne
Attendance: 1,904
