West Ham United women’s team 1-1 Manchester United
Barclays Women's Super League, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 3 March 2024, 3pm GMT

West Ham United women’s team earned a deserved draw with Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, in what was their first Barclays Women’s Super League fixture after the international break. 

After only four minutes, the away side opened the scoring through Rachel Williams, who finished emphatically beyond Mackenzie Arnold from the edge of the box.

There was nothing to separate the sides throughout and the Hammers could not find a way past Mary Earps and Manchester United’s stubborn rearguard. 

But the Irons, who were not without chances of their own, got their just rewards after 85 minutes through Viviane Asseyi’s well-taken effort to earn a point.

Rehanne Skinner made one alteration to the West Ham side that were narrowly defeated at Everton last time out, with Anouk Denton coming into the team to replace Shelina Zadorsky, who is still competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup with Canada.  

The Irons kicked off proceedings, kicking towards the open terracing of Chigwell Construction Stadium, as United took charge from the outset.

With the contest only four minutes old, the visitors took advantage of West Ham’s uninspired start when midfielder Katrina Gorry lost possession on the edge of her own box, gifting the Red Devils the chance to score, which they gladly took.

Up the other end, the Hammers almost found an instant response as Earps was at full stretch to stop Gorry’s rasping drive from 25 yards nestling into the top corner.

Both teams enjoyed spells of possession during a slightly quieter 20-minute spell, but Riko Ueki’s penalty appeal was waved away by referee Stephen Parkinson after coming under a challenge inside the box, while Maya Le Tissier’s effort from a dangerous position was easily gathered by Arnold.

Manchester United gained the ascendancy towards the end of the half though, and almost doubled their lead when Williams’ goalbound header was superbly clawed away from the top corner by Arnold in stoppage time, before Millie Turner skewed an effort wide from the resulting corner.

The Hammers made a bright start to the second half and after Ueki had sent one inches over the bar, Gorry almost levelled but couldn’t keep her effort down after setting herself outside the United box.

Nikita Parris headed wide unmarked from Katie Zelem’s corner as a frantic start continued, while Honoka Hayashi and Asseyi both saw goalward efforts blocked at close-range.

Rehanne Skinner’s side continued to get bodies forward chasing a leveller, and it almost arrived after 74 minutes as Asseyi’s half-volley from a great position flashed narrowly over the bar.

And just when you thought it might be one of those days for the Hammers, they got their deserved equaliser. Substitute Emma Snerle slipped an inch-perfect pass through for Asseyi to coolly flick the ball over the onrushing Earps.

However, as both sides looked to have settled for a point, the Irons had to survive a major scare in injury time. A mix-up in midfield seen the ball fly back towards an empty net but Williams, with the goal at her mercy, somehow fired wide of the target.

West Ham United: Arnold ©, Smith, Tysiak, Denton (Cooke 72), Cissoko, Shimizu, Hayashi, Gorry (Bergman Lundin 90), Ziu (Snerle 57), Asseyi, Ueki.
Unused Subs: Walsh, O’Hanlon, Harries, Mewis, Ademiluyi.

Goal: Asseyi 85

Booked: Snerle, Skinner 

Manchester United: Earps, Blundell, Le Tissier, Turner (Evans 59), Galton, Zelem ©, Ladd (Naalsund 59), Malard (Garcia 59), Toone, Williams, Parris.
Unused Subs: Tullis-Joyce, Mannion, Guerrero, Aherne.

Referee: Stephen Parkinson

Attendance: 3,171