West Ham United women's team 2-3 Aston Villa
Barclays Women's Super League, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 4 May 2025, 3pm BST
West Ham United women’s team fell to a narrow 3-2 defeat against Aston Villa in their final home match of the campaign.
Chasity Grant’s goal early in the second half proved to be enough to separate the two sides, which followed a breathless first period at Chigwell Construction Stadium that saw Ebony Salmon’s opener wiped out by Shekiera Martinez’s tenth Barclays Women’s Super League goal of the campaign and a Riko Ueki tap-in.
But Rachel Daly levelled proceedings ahead of the break before Grant’s 54th-minute winner, which brought an end to Rehanne Skinner’s side’s five-game unbeaten run.
The contest in east London was only five minutes old when Aston Villa broke the deadlock as Daly’s pass infield found Salmon, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom-left corner.
Following the opener, it was Skinner’s side that threatened to notch the next goal, as after Martinez and Seraina Piubel looked to get in behind, the latter’s volleyed cross was headed back across goal and marginally wide by Viviane Asseyi.
In response, former England international Daly headed straight at Hammers shot-stopper Kinga Szemik with a looping effort before, up the other end, Ueki’s through ball was just slightly overhit, as Martinez looked to break through one-on-one with Sabrina D’Angelo.
However, whilst the No19 was unable to get on the end of Ueki’s pass, she did meet Verena Hanshaw’s cross to level proceedings before the 20-minute mark, diverting the Austria international’s left-footed delivery into the far-right corner with a stooping header - her tenth WSL goal of the season.
Forward came the Irons again, no less than five minutes after restoring parity, and they should have turned the game around with a quick counter-attack. After a brilliant, surging run and pass from Oona Siren, Piubel bared down on goal, but her effort was tipped wide by D’Angelo.
But the Hammers were not left to rue the missed opportunity as they took the lead eleven minutes before the break. Captain Katrina Gorry battled well to rob Villa of possession and charge down the right. The midfielder’s persistence led to the ball bouncing in between Ueki and D’Angelo, and a slight touch from the Hammers striker gave her the simplest of finishes into an empty net.
What was an end-to-end first half wasn’t done there, though, as the visitors restored parity only three minutes later. Gorry played a slightly underhit backpass which allowed Daly to run through on goal and prod home one-on-one with Szemik.
The high-tempo nature of the game continued at the start of the second period, with Salmon wriggling free inside the box before firing a right-footed effort against Szemik’s near post.
That was a warning sign from Villa, and they took the lead on 54 minutes as Grant ghosted in behind before finding the bottom-left corner from inside the box.
The game started to lose its spark after the visitors went in front, with the Hammers unable to create a clear-cut opportunity in the final third. That changed, however, 20 minutes from time, when Asseyi broke forward and opted to go alone, but her strike was held by D’Angelo.
That turned the screw for Skinner’s side, who marauded forward again. Ueki caused havoc on the right-hand side and stood a cross up that neither Martinez nor Asseyi could latch onto, allowing Lucy Parker to clear.
Shortly after, Martinez threaded a ball through to Piubel, who was unable to get it under her spell inside the box, allowing D’Angelo to claim it. The No77 then struck from outside the area, but it failed to trouble the Villa shot-stopper.
Unfortunately for the hosts, they could not salvage a late draw, as Villa left Dagenham with all three points.
West Ham United: Szemik, Denton, Zadorsky, Tysiak (Ademiluyi 88), Hanshaw (Smith 71), Siren (Paví 71), Gorry ©, Martinez, Asseyi, Piubel, Ueki
Subs not used: M.Walsh (GK), Sáez, Nyström, Bergman Lundin, Harries, S. Walsh
Goals: Martinez 18, Ueki 34
Booked: Martinez, Gorry, Zadorsky
Aston Villa: D’Angelo, Patten, Kearns, Nobbs (Baijings 46), Daly ©, Parker (Turner 83), Maritz, Salmon, Grant, Taylor (Robinson 46), Pacheco (Maltby 66)
Subs not used: Kelly (GK), Mayling, Corsie, Sorrentino
Goals: Salmon 5, Daly 37, Grant 54
Booked: Taylor, Parker, Grant
Referee: Stacey Pearson
Attendance: TBC
