West Ham United Women 2-0 Birmingham City
Continental Tyres League Cup Group Stage, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 27 November 2022.
West Ham United Women clinched their first three points in the Continental Tyres League Cup group stage with a 2-0 victory over Birmingham City.
In a rain-soaked match in east London, Kate Longhurst got the Hammers started after only 12 minutes, hooking the ball over Lucy Thomas to give her side the lead.
Paul Konchesky’s side battled well and had chances to go two in front, but both Dagny Brynjarsdottir and Viviane Asseyi couldn’t get on the end of crosses from Lisa Evans.
But the skipper would eventually put the icing on the cake, converting from the penalty spot after Jamie Finn had felled Asseyi in the area.
The win means that the Hammers move to the top of Group C, with one match remaining.
Konchesky made one change from the side that beat Leicester City in the Barclays Women’s Super League last weekend, with the match winner, Izzy Atkinson coming into the side in place of Claudia Walker.
The game began with both sides struggling to keep hold of the ball in the wet conditions, and ten minutes passed without either side creating any opportunities.
But that all changed when Kirsty Smith’s corner wasn’t dealt with by the away side, and Longhurst was able to hook the ball over the head of goalkeeper, Thomas and into the back of the net to give West Ham the lead inside 12 minutes.
Mackenzie Arnold was called into action for the first time in the match on 18 minutes, as she did well to tip a powerful header form Louise Quinn over the crossbar. The resulting corner saw a scramble ensue, but the Hammers were eventually able to clear the ball away from danger.
There was a real lack of creativity in the first half from either side, with goalkeepers Arnold and Thomas being asked to save very little, as most of the match was played in midfield as the two sides jostled for possession.
And it would be Longhurst’s goal that would separate the two sides at the break.
In the second half, Brynjarsdottir got the better of Siobhan Wilson in a fifty-fifty inside the Blues area, but her searching ball towards the back post was too high for Viviane Asseyi and Atkinson, who had made runs into the centre of the penalty area.
Atkinson, who was lively throughout proceedings at Chigwell Construction Stadium almost doubled the lead, but her sweetly struck shot from just inside the area was well held by Thomas.
Brynjarsdottir then flung herself into the area to attack a wicked free-kick from Lisa Evans, but the Icelandic international couldn’t make any contact with the delivery.
Moments later, and Evans produced a wonderful ball in for Asseyi to attack as the Hammers worked the ball beautifully from back to front. The ball in from the Scotland international couldn’t find Asseyi, though, and the chance went begging.
The Hammers were controlling the play and looked the most likely to score the next goal, and they were presented with the chance to do just that when Jamie Finn needlessly fouled Asseyi in the penalty area. Brynjarsdottir’s penalty found the back of the net after Thomas got a hand to it but couldn’t keep the ball out.
Konchesky’s side clinched the three points and subsequently went top of their Continental Tyres League Cup Group, knowing that a point will be enough to qualify for the knockout stages against Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham United: Arnold, Shimizu, Fisk, Longhurst, Smith, Stringer, Hayashi (Filis 81), Brynjarsdottir (Houssein 81), Atkinson (Kyvåg 68), Evans, Asseyi (Walker 78).
Unused Subs: Hillyerd, Flannery.
Goals: Longhurst 12, Brynjarsdottir 76
Birmingham City: Thomas, Scott, Lou Quinn ©, Finn (Cowie 84), Smith, Murray, Wilson, Lawley (Simkin 66), Estcourt, Ryan-Doyle (Pennock 66), Devlin (Luc Quinn 66).
Unused Subs: Jones, Bourne, Jenner, Cowie, Cole, Banaras.
