West Ham United 2-3 Aston Villa
by Beth McCowen at the Chigwell Construction Stadium for Impetus (20/11/23).
Above: Anna Patten (arm raised) celebrates Aston Villa’s opening goal with Rachel Corsie (6). Photo: Aston Villa Women.
Rachel Daly’s strike in stoppage time at the end of the game secured Aston Villa’s second successive win against a fellow WSL struggler.
Carla Ward and Rehanne Skinner’s sides were both equally desperate for some points going into this clash. They each sit low in the WSL table as of late, and this pivotal result means West Ham drop down to 11th, whilst Villa have finally clawed their way up to ninth.
The match was fast-paced from the first touch, with the Hammers producing the better opportunities to begin with as Riko Ueki, looked lively and Sarah Mayling was also called upon to make an important block to clear a chance from Kirsty Smith for West Ham.
As the game progressed, despite their strong presence, the visitors were being put under pressure. The Irons’ number two, Kirsty Smith, made an excellent run into the box, sending the defender the wrong way. She was then brought down, which resulted in a penalty. This was calmly executed by Viviane Asseyi, giving West Ham the lead.
The Hammers continued to look dangerous after this, but Aston Villa held their own. Ward’s side suddenly came to life at the half-an-hour mark. They appeared to have learned from their defensive errors against Chelsea, and it must be noted that having both Hanson and Dali back on the pitch only serves to improve their performances.
The 30th minute saw Villa with a corner-induced equalizer, secured through an impressive header by Patten.
West Ham’s backline appeared to struggle after this setback, but their fan-favourite captain and goalkeeper, Mackenzie Arnold, did a superb job at stopping Villa from expanding on their current position. However, her opposite number, Daphne van Domselaar made a very important save in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
The second half saw Villa looking threatening, but once again West Ham’s Arnold proved why she is one of the world’s best at present. The Matildas star was not only making important saves and passing well under pressure but commanding her defenders in a strategically effective way.
Villa earned themselves a brilliant goal in the 49th minute from their number 24, Adriana Leon. There was chaos in the box in the build-up, but her great strike left Arnold with no chance.
Rachel Daly delivered a masterclass in footwork during the second half, impressively keeping the ball in possession, and knowing exactly when to bring it back out and look for a new opportunity.
With just over 10 minutes remaining, an outstanding goal from Lisa Evans saw West Ham put themselves back in the game.
Villa’s defence tightened up again after this. Tensions were rising, and Arnold made another great save to stop Ward’s side from regaining their lead.
Then, two minutes into stoppage time at the end, Daly delivered a top-quality strike. Villa’s number nine also played a vital role in their defence during the latter stages of the match, clearing a ball from the goal line to preserve her side’s lead.
West Ham immediately countered, but their accuracy was not quite good enough to secure a goal. The final corner of the game was for the Irons, with virtually everyone in the box but no no avail. Right before the final whistle, van Domselaar made another vital save. This match saw some impressive play from both sides in all areas of the pitch, but particularly from the two goalkeepers.
In the end, Aston Villa narrowly managed to take away all three points. Both sides gave a performance to be proud of. This was an important victory for Aston Villa, and a frustrating loss for Skinner’s West Ham United.
Teams: WEST HAM UNITED (5-3-2): Arnold, Smith, Shimizu, Stringer, Tysiak, Ueki, Harries, Filis, Asseyi, Cooke, Cissoko. Substitutes: Walsh, Evans, Atkinson, Ziu, Denton, Stapleton, Ademiluyi, Flannery.
Scorers: Asseyi (27’), Evans (80’).
ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): van Domselaar, Mayling, Patten, Turner, Pacheco, Dali, Corsie, Blindkilde Brown, Leon, Daly, Hanson. Substitutes: Staniforth, Lehmann, Nobbs, McLoughlin, Salmon, Mullett, Leat, Magill.
Scorers: Patten (31’), Leon (50’), Daly (90+2).
Referee: Keith Stroud.
Attendance: 1,406.
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