Brighton & Hove Albion Women 1-0 West Ham United
Barclays Women’s Super League, Broadfield Stadium, Sunday 7 May 2023
West Ham United found themselves on the end of a 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.
After a first half where both sides cancelled each other out, Brighton would open the scoring just before the hour mark – seizing on a mistake in midfield that allowed Kayleigh Green to head home beyond Arnold.
The Hammers battled until the end as they looked to grab a point, but they couldn’t find a way through a stern Seagulls defence.
Paul Konchesky rung the changes for the trip to Crawley, making three changes from the side that started the 6-2 defeat against Manchester City – with Anouk Denton, Kate Longhurst and Izzy Atkinson replacing Kirsty Smith, Risa Shimizu and Honoka Hayashi.
16-year-old Academy graduate Princess Ademiluyi was included amongst the substitutes for the first time since signing terms with the first-team squad back in March.
The game began at a frantic pace, with both sides struggling to retain possession. Albion’s Megan Connolly went into the book on five minutes for a late challenge, which set the tone for what would be a physical contest in West Sussex.
It would be the home side that would have the first opportunity of the game, with Elisabeth Terland being played in behind the West Ham backline, but her cutback across goal was dealt with by Hawa Cissoko and cleared.
On 24 minutes, Guro Bergsvand must have wondered how she didn’t open the scoring for her side. A set-piece delivery from Connolly was flicked on by Terland and found the imposing defender at the back post. She couldn’t convert from close range though, as Arnold was able to smother the ball.
The home side continued to grow into the game and Emma Kullberg was next to have an opportunity to have a go at goal. A corner kick flew all the way to the back post and the Sweden international headed wide after being free at the back post.
The Irons created their first opportunity of the game on 33 minutes – with Emma Snerle delivering a whipped corner that caused issue for Brighton. Lisa Evans managed to get a snapshot away after a scramble, but it flew over the bar.
But Brighton kept applying the pressure and looked dangerous on the counter. Katie Robinson skipped by Izzy Atkinson and found Terland who managed to fire an effort goalbound that forced Arnold into making a solid save, before Brynjarsdottir hacked the ball away from danger.
And the Icelandic international was involved in the final chance of the first half, as her shot was blocked on the line by Zoe Morse – with the midfielder and her teammates claiming the strike shot the hand of the defender.
The sunshine basked the pitch for the second 45 at Broadfield Stadium with both sides continuing their search for the opening goal, and it would fall to the home side on 58 minutes. After Brighton picked up possession deep in the West Ham half, a floated ball into the area from Robinson found the head of Green, who made no mistake from close in.
A swift counter attack three minutes later from the home side almost saw them grab a second. Had it not been for some heroic defending from Lucy Parker it would have been, with the defender getting in front of a fierce shot from Terland.
Evans looked as though she was going to have the opportunity to equalise, but as she shaped to shoot, Julia Zigiotti was able to come across and charge down her effort.
The Hammers saw a lot of the ball in the closing stages of the game, controlling the game for the final 15 minutes – but they struggled to create a clear cut opportunity.
Academy graduate Ademiluyi entered the field in the closing stages, making her debut for the first team in the process, but she couldn’t help her teammates to get back into the game, as the Hammers slipped to another WSL defeat.
Brighton & Hove Albion: Walsh, Kullberg, Bergsvand, Morse, Fox (Pattinson 45), Zigiotti ©, Robinson, Connolly, Green (Sarri 77), Lee (Carter 85), Terland (Stefanovic 85).
Unused Subs: Startup, Stott, Visalli, Bance, Symonds.
Booking: Connolly 5, Terland 69.
Goal: Green 58.
West Ham United: Arnold, Denton (Smith 73), Fisk, Cissoko, Parker, Longhurst (Thestrup 73), Brynjarsdottir ©, Snerle (Shimizu 83), Evans (Ademiluyi 83), Atkinson (Hayashi 56), Asseyi.
Unused Subs: Hillyerd, Tysiak, Cooke, Filis.
Booked: Parker 88.
Referee: Amy Fearn
Attendance: 2952
