Brighton and Hove Albion 1-2 Everton
By Aimee-Lou Caldecourt (22/4/24)
Above: Karen and Sara Holmgaard teamed up and gave Everton the advantage on the South Coast. Photo: WSL.
Fireworks welcomed Brighton and Everton to the pitch. The teams went into the fixture knowing that safety in the Women’s Super League was all but mathematically confirmed.
The game started pretty cagey in the opening 10-15 minutes with a lot of balls being played out from the back and not a lot of chances challenged either keeper. Sophie Baggaley was challenged first by the Everton attack, no threat was posed to the Brighton keeper, she jumped to collect. A few minutes later Benninson’s pass to Sara Holmgaard had Baggeley make the stop with her fingertips to keep Brighton out of danger.
Everton’s high press was working well throughout the first half, the only thing that was missed was the finishing product. They forced Brighton into many defensive errors throughout the first half, making more work for the back line.
Last 10 minutes of the half and Brighton looked more comfortable in the game. Attacking more and winning corners which also lacked the final product. Long balls from the defensive midfield wouldn’t find Terland up front and were easily cleared by the Everton defence.
Maisie Symonds was a force in the midfield winning balls and turning them over to create chances throughout the first half. She won the ball in the defensive half, and found Katie Robinson who took it on and danced round the Everton defence, but hit the side netting as she attempted to cross it in.
0-0 at half time was a reasonable score line, both teams challenging the opposition goalkeeper but lacked any realquality in the final third.
Second half kicked off and the first chance goes Brighton’s way Vanhaevermaet’s misplaced header fell straight into the feet of Veatriki Sarri, but she was caught out by the offside flag in the build-up.
First booking went to Everton’s Stenevik for a slicing tackle which wiped out Katie Robinson. The ball from the free kick progressed into the final third where Terland’s volley went just wide of the post. Brighton looked the most threatening of the sides in the opening 10 minutes of the second half but still lacked the quality in the box.
Substitute Karen Holmgaard send the visitors in front in on the hour mark. Sara Holmgaard finds her sister in a one-two sending the ball into Karen who headed it home. Their lead was short lived after Maisie Symonds free kick rattled the crossbar, finding the feet of Tatiana Pinto who forced the ball into the roof of the net three minutes later.
Everton restored their lead as Aurora Galli took the ball from Vanhaevermaet’s play and was one-on-one with Sophie Baggaley. Baggaley brough Galli down which looked like a penalty. Referee Kirsty Dowle played advantage as Bergsvandstruck the loose ball into her own net in the 72nd minute.
Brighton clawed for the equaliser in stoppage time winning corner after corner trying to scramble the ball into the net to impress the nearly 5,000 fans inside the stadium.
Full time score: Brighton 1-2 Everton. The Toffee’s took all three points back to Merseyside.
Everton manager Brian Sorensen said, “[the win] was extremely important to us.” He continued, “I think we started fine the first half, we controlled… [in the second half] they started throwing everything… way too open, too transitionaland for you guys and the fans probably fun to watch… I’d enjoy to be in more control of the game.” He spoke of injuries which has troubled the team in recent weeks, “we play the same style regardless of who is on the team sheet. Karen and Sara were good today”
“With the season we’ve had we could easily have bottled thatand not show character. Really important that we scored that goal against the run of play” Sorensen had signed his new deal the day before the game and believes he has laid the foundation for success for the rest of his tenure as Everton manager.
Brighton interim coach Mikey Harris said, “it wasn’t the fairy tale result we wanted at the AMEX, what I do think it was an entertaining game.” He spoke of his frustration of a potential penalty which he believes his side should’ve been given, “it would’ve been a good opportunity for us to get something out of the game.” His overall comments being “I felt like it was a fairly even game… a bit too open in the second half”
Brighton: Baggeley, Pattinson, Bergsvand ©, Sarri (Bremer ’54), Zigiotti, Terland, Carabali (Thorisdottir 83’), Pinto(Kullburg 83’), Symonds (Haley ’64), Robinson, Mengwen(Lee ’64)
Subs not used: Stefanonvic, Loeck (GK), McEwan, Dent
Everton: Brosnan, Wheeler, Vanhaevermaet, Bennison(K.Holmgaard 54’), Hope (Veje 72’) , Finnigan ©, Kuhl(Piemonte 87’), Galli, S.Holmgaard (Bissell 72’), Snoeijs, Stenevik (Dale 87’)
Subs not used: Hart (GK), Wilding, Olesen
Referee: Kirsty Dowle
Attendance: 4,987
impetusfootball.org 