Hawa Cissoko could not find the words to describe her goal against Tottenham Hotspur.
The 25-year-old defender had previously scored once for West Ham United since joining in July 2020 – a strike which came in a 3-0 win over Durham in the Continental Tyres League Cup nearly two years ago.
Against Spurs, Cissoko was making her first start since being sent off in the victory over Aston Villa in October and impressed alongside Grace Fisk at the heart of the backline. But it would be her work at the other end that she will remember for a long time to come.
When a free-kick was cleared away by the Hammers, Cissoko, who was positioned on the edge of the penalty area charged forward. After receiving the ball from her compatriot, Viviane Asseyi, Cissoko took a huge touch towards goal, which left Spurs goalkeeper, Becky Spencer in two minds.
The moment of indecision allowed Cissoko to lift the ball over Spencer, with her strike just having enough on it to beat the former Hammer. It is a moment Cissoko will never forget.
“I am buzzing to be honest. Two goals against Spurs, a clean sheet and on a personal level, my first goal in the WSL! What more can I ask for,” the defender smiled.
“The tactic from set pieces was that I would stay on the edge of the box, and if the ball came to me then I would just have to clear the ball. But when I saw Viviane (Asseyi) with the ball at her feet, I knew I had to get running.
“I know Viviane very well, so I knew that she would pass me the ball – and then I took a very big first touch and chipped the goalkeeper – like a proper number nine!”
The Irons had earlier moved ahead just after half-time, when skipper, Dagny Brynjarsdottir picked up a loose ball inside the area and rifled a strike into the back of the net.
But Cissoko’s goal on the 84th minute made for a comfortable final 10 minutes or so, and she admitted that she didn’t really know what she was thinking when it came to her dinked finish.
“I don’t really know what I was thinking,” Cissoko explained. “When I was running, I was like: ‘Should I have another touch, or do I open my body.' I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to do because I am never one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
“But when I saw the goalkeeper out of the goal a little bit, I went for it and chipped her.
The audacity! 🍟@LaCissokance with her first goal in the WSL! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/apazcGXTzT
— West Ham United Women (@westhamwomen) December 12, 2022
“All of us were on the front foot defensively today, we really wanted to come away with a clean sheet. We said before the game that we could not leave here without getting the three points, because we know how much this game means. So, I’m delighted that we’ve done that.”
The Hammers had to show character in the freezing temperatures at the Breyer Group Stadium, with the team starting slow in the opening stages, before Brynjarsdottir later dragged a penalty wide just before the break.
But the team battled to a deserved victory, and Cissoko believes that is all down to how close this current group are.
“It’s because we love each other, it’s all about love. Sometimes you can be on teams where you don’t really like or care for the people that you’re playing alongside, and you work together because you have to.
“In this team it’s only love, we all want to do well for each other and that’s why it’s so easy to play here.”
The win over Spurs was the final Barclays Women’s Super League fixture of the calendar year for Cissoko and company, and she took some time to reflect on how the first ten matches have gone.
“The season has been okay so far, but it could have been better. We’ve had a couple of injuries, and missed players – like myself getting a silly red card against Aston Villa.
“We’re in a good place and we will take the positives from this season so far and come back strong,” she concluded.
