The Washington Spirit rose up to secure their first ever NWSL Championship this weekend, coming back from a goal down to beat an injury-ravaged Chicago Red Stars 2-1 (a.e.t.) at the Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville. There were 10,360 people in attendance and they were treated to a tense, fiercely contested two hours of football, after the initial 90 minutes finished all square at one each. Rachel Hill put the Red Stars ahead in first half stoppage time. Andi Sullivan (just about) equalised from the penalty spot midway through the second period. Full back Kelley O’Hara got the 97th minute winner heading in Trinity Rodman’s left wing cross…

Semi-Finals

D2B’s day job got in the way of being able to apply a full bloggage on the excellent NWSL semi-finals, but we were able to watch both and make some notes. So, here’s a whistle stop recap of how Washington and Chicago made their respective ways to the Louisville showpiece:

The Washington Spirit travelled to Tacoma in, er, Washington state to take on number two seeds OL Reign – in the rain. But they found themselves a goal down inside three minutes when Eugénie Le Sommer tapped in Megan Rapinoe’s cross from the left.

Kris Ward’s side had not started well but showed good character to steady their nerves and get back on terms just nine minutes later.

Centre back Sam Staab hit a perfectly weighted fifty-yard pass over the top of the Reign backline and Trinity Rodman let the ball bounce across her body before dispatching a low, first-time finish. (Reign would have been advised to have watched the Spirit’s last regular season match of the season against Houston – where they scored virtually the same goal.)

Home keeper Sarah Bouhaddi denied Rodman and Tara McKeown with workaday stops before Le Sommer got herself in behind the Spirit defence a minute before the break – beating Aubrey Bledsoe with a neat lob but also bypassing the keeper’s right-hand post.

Rapinoe fired over the bar early in the second period and Quinn couldn’t get a low shot past Bledsoe as the hosts looked to retake the lead. Le Sommer blazed across the face of goal in the 65th minute.

Those misses would prove costly. The Spirit got their noses in front on 67 minutes after Andi Sullivan’s corner ricocheted to Ashley Sanchez on the angle of the six-yard box. The attacking midfielder sized up her options and scooped the ball deftly over Bouhaddi with enough off-spin to take it inside the far post.

Substitute Bethany Balcer and Le Sommer both wasted opportunities and Spirit centre back Emily Sonnett made three vital defensive blocks in the space of 20 seconds.

The Spirit looked for the most part like they would hold on, but it always felt like Reign would get one last chance for an equaliser.

It fell to Le Sommer in the fourth minute of stoppage time who met Dzsenifer Marozsán’s left-wing cross but couldn’t head past Bledsoe.

The Chicago Red Stars played their semi-final at Providence Park, home of Shield Champions (and number one seeds) the Portland Thorns. The visitors went into the game without star forward Mallory Pugh and central defender Kayla Sharples (COVID restrictions), as well as crocked box-to-boxer Tori Huster. A lot of attacking expectation, then, was piled on to the shoulders of winger Kealia Watt who had enjoyed an excellent season; but her match was over inside half an hour through injury.

Rory Dames’ side had worked hard to frustrate the Thorns attack successfully up to this point but now the question was: where were the goals going to come from? An answer came less than ten minutes later from Watt’s replacement Katie Johnson. She worked half a yard of space wide right of the penalty area and somehow managed to squeeze a shot between the near post and Portland keeper Bella Bixby.

Morgan Weaver almost replied immediately for the hosts with a header from Meghan Klingenberg’s cross but Cassie Miller hauled it in. Angela Salem couldn’t apply a finish after a titanic 43rd minute goalmouth scramble.

A second half Portland storm was expected but, after Sophia Smith had fired two efforts off frame for the hosts, Chicago doubled their lead. Morgan Gautrat squared the ball to Sarah Woldmoe 25-yards out, the midfielder got the ball out of her feet and drove it into Bixby’s top left-hand corner.

In front of their third highest crowd of the season (15,832) the champions started to look bereft of ideas. ‘Rocky’ Rodriguez had a sight of goal from the edge of the ‘D’ in the 76th minute but Miller got down to her right and made the stop. And that was it. Portland were out and Head Coach Mark Parsons had completed his final match in charge before heading to Europe to take charge of the Netherlands national team permanently.

A bruised and beaten up Chicago, meanwhile, were off to Kentucky for the Championship Final…

The Final

Chicago’s Mallory Pugh would be back for the playoff final but her partner in crime, Kealia Watt, would not make it. Katie Johnson retained her place in the front three but Rory Dames moved her to centre forward with Pugh and Rachel Hill working either side.

Washington Head Coach Kris Ward made no changes to the eleven that started at OL Reign.

The teams had met three times previously during the year, with Chicago winning twice and the other match being drawn.

With the Red Stars short on fire power they ideally needed a cagey opening to find their way into the match. They got just that, but were unfortunate to lose midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo in the 13th minute to another injury. Makenzy Doniak replaced her.

Chicago were working harder than their opponents and forged the first meaningful effort on goal approaching 25 minutes with Aubrey Bledsoe diving to her right to push away Johnson’s half-volley.

But the Washington Spirit were never going to be kept quiet for the entirety and raised their levels approaching the half. Ashley Sanchez engineered a crossing opportunity for Trinity Roadman out on the left, but McKeown drove her effort over the bar. McKeown turned provider for Rodman in the 45th minute, but the Rookie of the Year fired straight at Cassie Miller.

Mallory Pugh got a knock as the clock ticked into three minutes of stoppage time and Red Stars fans would be hoping that she’d be able to return post interval. And that was that for the opening half…

Only it wasn’t. Three minutes of stoppage time became five and Chicago took the lead with Pugh still looking on from the side lines.

Full backs Arin Wright and Kelley O’Hara squared up out on Chicago’s left, O’Hara slipped and that gave Wright the half-yard she needed to race to the by-line and chip an inviting cross to the far post that Rachel Hill powered home.

We can’t have been the only observers trawling through memories of Portland a week earlier when the Red Stars overcame all manner of odds to beat the Thorns – on paper a stronger, more talented and certainly less injury-afflicted club. Rory Dames’ and his charges had given themselves a chance again…

Pugh was subbed at the break with midfielder Danielle Colaprico taking her place.

Increasingly it was looking like Chicago were going to have to try holding out for the clean sheet. But they had already achieved just that against both previous playoff opponents. The onus, then, was on Washington to find a goal.

To their credit the Spirit were so much better in the second period. Swedish left back Julia Roddar replaced Tegan McGrady at half time and that seemed to quieten the dual threat of Hill and Tatumn Milazzo. Simultaneously, Andi Sullivan and Dorian Bailey started to get on the ball more in midfield increasing the pressure on the Red Stars’ defence. And it wasn’t long before chances started to come.

Rodman came within a post’s width of levelling when she spun away from her marker in the 61st minute and rifled a 25-yarder against the upright. Two minutes later O’Hara whipped in a dangerous delivery from the right that Rodman nodded wide. O’Hara provided another ball in two minutes later which was intercepted, but broke to Dorian Bailey arriving in the penalty box. She dragged her effort past the post.

At the midway point of the second half Washington got their equaliser. Rodman, out on the left again, worked some space to fizz a pass into the penalty box. McKeown arrived and took the ball in stride but Tierna Davidson stuck out a leg and tripped her. It was a straightforward decision for the match official.

Spirit captain Andi Sullivan strode forward and placed the ball, but her spot kick belied a confident demeanour. She struck it poorly. Miller guessed left; left was right, but maybe the keeper was expecting more velocity on the ball and she dived over it.

Scores level it was game on, but Chicago looked shell shocked. Dames’ game plan since the half hinged on keeping Washington out. Injuries were limiting the team’s ability to attack effectively. What now? Try and find a winner? Or play for extra time and penalties?

Spirit boss Kris Ward had no such concerns. The match, and the NWSL Title, was there for the taking. They were going for the throat. Three minutes after they restored parity Roddar put in a cross from the left which McKeown glanced just the wrong side of the near post.

On 81 minutes Sullivan tried a snap shot from 25-yards that Miller turned away low to her right. Sixty seconds later the Red Stars’ keeper was back in action again, denying Ashley Hatch after she’d shaken off the attentions of Davidson.

Rodman played Sanchez into the penalty area in the 84th minute but the Spirit’s semi-final hero blasted into the side netting. It would be her last contribution before being subbed out for Taylor Aylmer.

When the whistle blew for full time Red Stars fans may have hoped that their players could find a second wind and raise their levels for 30 additional minutes, but the pattern set in the second half held and Washington continued to push for a winner.

Substitute Anna Heilferty set up Hatch in the 93rd minute but the Golden Boot winner was unable to beat Miller.

They only had to wait another four minutes for the crucial breakthrough. Rodman cut inside from the left and curled the ball to the far post where O’Hara was arriving, timing her jump and her header perfectly, powering it back across the keeper into the opposite corner. It was her first competitive goal since 2018.

Now Chicago had to score.

In the second period of extra time Colaprico’s deflected effort was reeled in by Bledsoe. Then Davidson fired in a shot from 18-yards that pinged off Sullivan and sailed wide. But every match seems to throw up that one moment on which the entire result hinges and this final was no different…

Spirit central defenders Emily Sonnett and Sam Staab hadn’t made a mistake between them in 118 minutes, but suddenly found Doniak in behind and heading towards their goal.

It would be a heart-in-mouth moment for both sets of supporters. Doniak struck her shot true but Bledsoe was set, sprung to her right and palmed the ball away at full stretch. It was a massive, clutch save for the league’s goalkeeper of the year.

But the stopper wasn’t quite done. In the time added to the injury time on the end of the extra time (!), Arin Wright hammered one last effort at the Spirit goal from 25-yards. It clipped the top of the cross bar, but replays showed that Bledsoe had got the merest of touches on it. And that would win her the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award on the day.

More importantly (and we’re assuming Aubrey would agree) it ensured Washington held on to win 2-1, securing them their first ever NWSL Championship.

Reflections

Go all the way back to the pre-season Challenge Cup in May and the Washington Spirit didn’t strike many as potential playoff winners. They finished fourth in their Eastern group and only beat new franchise Racing Louisville.

But they only lost once in those four Challenge Cup games and that ‘hard to beat’ form held going into the regular season. By week five they’d lost just one of their opening six matches and sat third in the table.

They coped well with the exodus of US and Canadian players to the Olympics – largely because key players such as Ashley Hatch, Trinity Rodman and Ashley Hatch were undrafted. When the NWSL welcomed back its international stars the Spirit were still third, but other challenges had emerged. Head Coach Richie Burke had been sacked. Kris Ward stepped into the interim role. But more trouble was around the corner.

In weeks 16 and 17 the Spirit had to forfeit matches. Portland and OL Reign were awarded 3-0 wins over Washington after it was reported that there had been multiple breaches of COVID protocol. On top of all this the animosity between Spirit fans and club ownership – widely acknowledged in WOSO circles – was getting worse. Not exactly the culture of a winning organisation.

Week 19 was cancelled altogether after an investigative report in the Athletic accused North Carolina Courage Head Coach Paul Riley of sexual coercion with some of his (former) players. NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird was relieved of her duties and the ‘No More Silence’ movement was born.

It was a difficult moment for the league but none of this seemed to distract the Washington Spirit. From week 18 onwards they secured five victories and a draw, going into the playoffs as the third seed and the form team.

At season’s end their squad boasted the Golden Boot winner (Ashley Hatch), the Rookie of the Year (Trinity Rodman) and the league’s best goalkeeper (Aubrey Bledsoe). Head Coach Kris Ward did not lose a competitive match on the grass / turf. The only ‘L’s on his record were those games awarded by the league to opposing teams.

The Washington Spirit have played some of the best, most enjoyable football to watch during the season, combining young players who bring flair and fearlessness with those that have acquired the intelligence and steeliness of experience. Here is a group of players that look like they are having fun – just take a look at their pre-match team photos! (above)

D2B has covered the entire NWSL season over the last few months. At times it could be a bit of a slog to be honest, there are a lot of fixtures. But it was never, EVER boring watching the Spirit in the early hours of the UK morning. And to that end we say congratulations to the Washington Spirit. Enjoy the off-season. Give Kris Ward a permanent job and a pay rise. Make some more exciting draft picks and come back even stronger next season. Be assured: the rest of the league will be gunning for you!

Team of the season:

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There were no draws in the WSL this week. Arsenal stay unbeaten as Vivianne Miedema breaks another scoring record; Chelsea and Manchester City thrash the Birmingham clubs; West Ham edge their London derby with Spurs; Reading take their loss-free streak to four; Everton score late to pile more misery on still-pointless Leicester City. Here’s how week 8 of the Women’s Super League panned out ahead of the international break…

Manchester City 5-0 Aston Villa

Manchester City gave a five-star performance in the second half of this match to leap over Aston Villa in the WSL table. Super sub Hayley Raso bagged a brace and an assist in a devastating 17 minute spell…

Villa had been able to restrict Gareth Taylor’s side to very few chances in the first half but imploded just three minutes after the break when they gifted possession to Keira Walsh who immediately played Lauren Hemp into space on the left. Hemp crossed, Weir controlled the ball, cut inside N’Dow and curled it into the far corner.

Three minutes later it was two. Alex Greenwood’s corner from the right wasn’t dealt with and Georgia Stanway directed the ball into the net.

Villa almost fashioned a way back when Sarah Mayling and Chaney Boye-Hlorkah combined down the right, but substitute Emily Gielnik couldn’t quite make contact with the cross – any touch would have been enough.

City punished that miss in the 77th minute to take the game away from the visitors. Villa keeper Hannah Hampton tried to prevent the ball from going for a corner but played her clearance straight to City sub Hayley Raso. The Australian international took the shot on first time and it whisked into the goal via a slight deflection.

Sixty seconds later Villa were the architects of their own downfall again when Anita Asante gave the ball away. City worked it quickly down the right, Raso beat N’Dow for pace, squared from the by-line and Lauren Hamp arrived untracked to finish from a tight angle.

It took Raso just three minutes to get the host’s fifth, enjoying the freedom of the six-yard box to bundle the ball in after Hemp had hit the cross bar.

“I thought it was a good performance. We scored some really good goals. These games always difficult, and Villa are a difficult proposition. There is still a lot to do in terms of the way we play, refining key details. But the signs were really good and positive today. We got a clean sheet and everyone played their part right the way through. The substitutes made a difference, they helped give us energy, especially when Villa started to flag towards the end.”

Gareth Taylor, Head Coach, Manchester City, via mancity.com

Manchester City go into the international break sat seventh in the league. Beating Villa is fine but they’ve lost more matches than they’ve won this season. The league title has gone, now they have to get on a streak to ensure they’re in the running for a Champions League berth by May.

They visit Birmingham City next in the WSL – a match which is currently scheduled for Sunday 12th December. They’ve smashed one West Midlands side up here; it wouldn’t be a massive surprise to see them do the same to the rudderless Blues next time out.

Aston Villa host Tottenham Hotspur on the same weekend. They won the corresponding fixture last season with a really hard working display against a Spurs side that dominated the ball for large chunks of that match.

A similar mindset is required this time around against Rehanne Skinner’s improved squad, but maybe the Head Coach could let some of those attacking acquisitions loose on the North Londonders. Boye-Hlorkah and Gielnik surely need to be on the pitch from the start. One makes them quicker offensively; the other more physically aggressive…

Manchester United 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal extended their unbeaten run in the WSL to eight as they dispatched Manchester United without too much drama. Vivianne Miedema and Katie McCabe provided the goals and Jonas Eidevall’s side should perhaps have scored more.

The first period had an eerily similar look to the Gunners draw with Spurs a week earlier. They had the majority of possession, looked utterly in control, but couldn’t generate many clear goal scoring opportunities.

Beth Mead hit the bar early doors; later Noelle Maritz drew a workaday save out of Mary Earps. United, meanwhile, defended resolutely but offered little going the other way.

Miedema, talismanic as ever, ensured that Arsenal’s performance wouldn’t fizzle out (as it had against their North London rivals) just three minutes after the interval. McCabe played the ball infield from the left, the Dutchwoman spun away from Katie Zelem took an extra touch to move Earps across slightly and dispatched a low drive into the keeper’s bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the ‘D’. Miedema has now scored against all eleven other clubs in the WSL.

Nine minutes later she was involved again squaring the ball for a McCabe shot, only for the Irish international to get clattered by defender Aiofe Mannion.

McCabe eventually hauled herself up off the grass and, with injured Kim Little already subbed off, stepped up for penalty taking duties – clipping her spot kick towards the keeper’s top right corner for 2-0.

Zelem had a good chance to get United back in the game running on to a neat, lofted pass from midfield partner Lucy Staniforth, but was denied by keeper Manuela Zinsberger who got herself in a good position to save with her right leg.

Mead should have secured another penalty kick but referee Emily Heaslip incorrectly decided it was a free-kick just outside the box. Miedema nearly punished United anyway, curling the ball off the top of the crossbar.

United have plateaued under Marc Skinner. They find themselves propping up the top-half of the table on a poor goal difference largely accrued from the eight goals they conceded against Chelsea and Arsenal. But they’ve also dropped points against teams they were masters of last season.

There’s good news for the Red Devils, though. Despite a mediocre start they are only three points off the final Champions’ League berth. After the international break they travel down to Brighton; then go into the Christmas break hosting Aston Villa. Fans will see both as eminently winnable games. If they don’t win both pressure might start mounting on the United boss.

“From a personal point of view I am still learning the league, the club and the players. I am very pleased with the results, but I am most pleased with this environment that we are learning in. That’s why I really like about working with this group of players and he staff as well. We don’t just look at the draw with Spurs, for example, with disappointment, we are learning from it. We are learning when we lose, draw and win. It’s nice to win the matches but you need to have that learning culture in place, that’s what I’m most pleased with.”

Jonas Eidevall, Head Coach, Arsenal, via arseblog.news

Arsenal go into another WSL ‘pause’ top of the table. Leah Williamson is out until at least the new year and Kim Little is nursing a groin problem so will need to be careful. Mercifully Jordan Nobbs looks more like her old self and has been re-selected for the Lionesses.

On their return the Gunners have home games against Leicester City and Brighton. Two professional displays should culminate in Arsenal holding firm as the WSL’s Christmas number one. However, before both they have the small matter of a Champions League return fixture with current Euro Supremoes FC Barcelona…

Chelsea 5-0 Birmingham City

Sam Kerr notched a first half hat-trick for Chelsea and threw in her famous somersault celebration, but the Aussie had her thunder stolen somewhat by two-strike Fran Kirby who reached 100 goals for the club.

It was a horrible mismatch of a first half-between the South Londoners who have been firing on all cylinders in the league for a few weeks now, and a West Midlands club that has already abandoned their pre-season plans and schemes, hoping instead that a new person at the helm will somehow conjure up weekly miracles.

Birmingham City sacked manager Scott Booth in the week following their 4-0 Conti Cup home drubbing at the hands of West Ham United. The full statement can be found here but makes it plain that Booth essentially carries the can for the tyre-fire that the club has become this season – bearing in mind they already went into the campaign with the lowest budget, the thinnest squad and the poorest facilities (don’t take our word for it, that last one came from their own players.)

Anyway to the match. Chelsea were a goal up inside four minutes. Magda Eriksson put in a cross from deep out on the left. Louise Quinn intercepted but the ball broke to Kirby and she chipped the keeper from the edge of the penalty box.

Millie Bright had a thunderous 30-yard effort brilliantly parried way by Marie Hourihan at full stretch, but there was little the Birmingham stopper could do to prevent Kerr opening her account running on to Jessie Fleming’s through ball and lashing the ball into the far corner.

Kerr put a header wide at point blank range from a poor defensive clearance but couldn’t believe her luck when she was presented with another chance virtually on the goal line in the 29th minute. This one was smashed into the net.

Almost on half time Kerr sealed her hat-trick. Hourihane acrobatically saved Drew Spence’s half volley from the edge of the penalty area but Kerr was on hand to nod the rebound into an empty net. The striker then showed off some impressive circus skills of her own in celebration.

In the 75th minute Kerr turned provider for Chelsea’s fifth goal, fizzing a ball in from the right which Kirby flicked in at the front post for her landmark strike.

Emma Hayes’ side have to close out their two remaining Champions League games against Juventus (home) and Wolfsburg (away). Sandwiched in between is a trip to the vastly improved Reading on Sunday 12th December.

“We had one or two words at half-time – not harsh words, we are adults just sensible conversation – to try and put one or two things right. I think second-half it was much better, fair play to the girls they didn’t batten down the hatches and got on the front foot a little bit. I couldn’t have asked any more of them today.”

Tony Elliott, Coach, Birmingham City, via BCFC.com

Former Everton boss Willie Kirk was asked during the BBC’s live coverage of the United v Arsenal match whether he would be throwing his hat into the ring as Scott Booth’s replacement. Kirk ruled himself out, about as respectfully as he could.

Instead, Birmingham will begin a new journey with Interim Head Coach Darren Carter in situ – so not quite a ringing endorsement from the BC board. A former player for the Blues, Carter was previously first team coach for West Bromwich Albion Women in the FAWNL North. He will be joined by Marcus Bignot who most recently coached at Guiseley FC and is better known in WOSO circles for taking the reins at Aston Villa Women last season.

Carter will start with a difficult home match against Manchester City on December 12, but then it’s the BIG one. On Sunday 19th December the Blues go to Leicester City. Winning that one could put a very different complexion on matters – although quite why the club didn’t offer that courtesy to Booth remains open to debate…

“It is a great opportunity for me and the journey I am currently on, with my coaching career, and I want to make an impact and bring some positivity to the place. It is vitally important to instil some belief, confidence and enjoyment; creating an environment to excel and improve every day as individuals and as a collective. From those foundations, we can look to build some momentum.”

Darren Carter, Interim Head Coach, Birmingham City, via BCFC.com

Leicester City 0-1 Everton

Once again Leicester City came agonisingly close to recording their first point of the campaign, but Simone Magill arrived off the bench to score for Everton. That gave new boss Jean-Luc Vasseur his first league victory and condemned the Foxes to their eighth WSL defeat in a row…

The Toffees had beaten Leicester 3-1 in the Conti Cup group stages earlier in the season, but found their rivals a harder nut to crack in this match.

Midfielder Esme de Graaf had the first decent sight of goal for the home side but headed straight at Sandi MacIver.

Foxes keeper Demi Lambourne had come in for her first league start with the club’s regular starter Kirstie Levell injured and facing four months on the side lines. Lambourne made a fine one handed stop from Kenza Dali after the midfielder had been played in behind the defence.

After the break Dali got in again, this time on the right flank, cutting the ball back for French compatriot Valérie Gauvin. Leicester scrambled and crowded the striker out sufficiently for Sophie Barker to clear off the goal line.

Hanna Bennison surged towards the Leicester penalty box releasing Toni Duggan on her right but Lambourne was equal to the forward’s angled drive.

But the Foxes stopper was unable to save the day when Bennison got Magill in behind the backline on 81 minutes, the Northern Ireland international rounding the keeper and tapping into an empty net.

Everton looked to add a bit of extra sheen to the score line as the game clock ticked down; the best attempt coming from Duggan who cut in from the left and rattled the cross bar from 20-yards.

“Especially then conceding the late goal, the girls are obviously distraught again because they put so much out there and I think it is showing that are injuries are having an impact on us, not being able to make changes when we need to. Everton only had three really good opportunities this whole game and they took one of the three. I think you could argue we had three good opportunities ourselves and we didn’t manage to take one and that’s how ruthless this level is. We still feel very confident that we will navigate ourselves out of this battle. The morale in the camp is so high because we know we are playing well, and we know we are doing things right.”  

Jonathan Morgan, Manager, Leicester City, via LCFC.com

It’s looking bleak for the Foxes. After the international break they have to go to league leaders Arsenal (Dec 12). But there is a chink of light for Jonathan Morgan’s side with a home match against Birmingham City just before the Christmas period. It’s looking like these clubs will be the only ones battling to avoid the drop so securing three points would be a huge fillip going into the new year.

“I’m very happy for my players, the Club, the staff because we have worked very hard last week to prepare for Sunday’s game. It’s always difficult to play against a team that are bottom of the table. It’s a good result for us and one we can build upon in the future. In the first half and the beginning of the second we had chances to score but didn’t. We need to show that killer instinct to put those chances away and make a difference on the game quicker.”

Jean-Luc Vasseur, Manager, Everton, via evertonfc.com

Everton will be going up against two clubs looking to usurp their best-of-the-rest status from last season. West Ham United visit Walton Hall Park on the 12th December. Then Jean-Luc Vasseur’s squad journey to the Hive to take on Tottenham Hotspur.

Reading 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

Reading extended their unbeaten league run to four matches with goals at either end of this match versus a Brighton side that had more attempts on goal than their hosts, but managed to get just one of them on target.

It couldn’t have started better for the Royals and worse for the Seagulls. Less than three minutes had been played when Faye Bryson robbed Inessa Kaagman in midfielder and hit an ambitious 30-yarder towards goal. Brighton keeper Megan Walsh misjudged the bounce of the ball, spilled it to Natasha Dowie and the poacher made no mistake.

The visitors one effort on target came from Danielle Carter but Grace Moloney made a good parry before Reading cleared the danger.

Brighton continued to generate attacks but the home side held firm with Natasha Harding making one outstanding last ditch tackle to deny Emma Koivisto an almost certain equaliser.

With four minutes left Reading provided the sucker punch. Justine Vanhaevermaet threaded second half substitute Emma Harries into all sorts of space behind the Seagulls back four and she rounded Walsh before slotting into an empty net – making it two in two for the young striker.

“The result was huge today. Credit must go to the girls as they were fantastic. They know that November was a big window for us to pick up points against sides we wanted to, and to take ten points from twelve is phenomenal. I think now, they’re just starting to really gel, getting to grips with the way I want to play and do things. To be fair, they are an exceptional group, they’ve really bonded, the harmony in camp is a joy to be around, and they’re now showing it on the pitch, fighting for each other, and that’s where we are picking up points alongside the ability that they all have.”

Kelly Chambers, Manager, Reading, via readingfc.co.uk

The Royals had an almost perfect November but the international break may have come at a good moment prep-wise for the coaching team as life is about to get much tougher. They host Chelsea on the weekend of 11th/12th December before heading up to Manchester City for a pre-Xmas rumble.

Despite some frustration after this match Hope Powell shouldn’t be overly concerned. Indeed the Seagulls held on to third spot in the table despite defeat, but Powell will know that some stiff challenges await once her players return from international duty.

Brighton host Manchester United next at the Broadfield Stadium and then have a road trip to league leaders Arsenal. Any points in those two matches will be welcome and keep the south coasters in the hunt for a European berth.

West Ham United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur

West Ham enjoyed their first ever victory over Spurs after Dagný Brynjarsdóttir’s 69th minute strike proved to be the only difference between the sides.

Tottenham made most of the (half) chances in the first half with Kyah Simon and Ria Percival both firing over the cross bar. Ashleigh Neville was in a good spot at the far post to get on Percival’s right-wing corner, but nodded it wide.

The all-action full back then latched on to a loose ball outside the ‘D’ but dragged her shot wide.

The hosts got themselves in front with just over 20 minutes left. Lisa Evans’ run and cross from the right broke off a defender to Brynjarsdóttir and the Icelandic international’s left foot didn’t let her down.

Spurs were down, but not out. They worked hard to chisel a point out of this contest but couldn’t quite find their way back. Rachel Williams was brilliantly denied by keeper Mackenzie Arnold who tipped the forward’s opportunistic half volley over the cross bar.

In the last action of the match Neville tried her luck from 25-yards but Arnold was able to scramble to her right and get whatever she could on the ball to push it away.

The Hammers have lost just twice in eight WSL games which points to a significant improvement on last season. They are scheduled for road trips to Everton and Chelsea following the international break.

Tottenham remain above West Ham in the current standings but need to figure out a way to score more goals, particularly when they enjoy the majority share of possession like they did in this game.

That might seem an odd statement given they walloped Watford 11-0 [yes, eleven] in the League Cup during the week, but that’s two more goals than they’ve scored in the WSL combined all season. Rehanne Skinner’s side visit Aston Villa on the 12th December and then host Everton prior to Christmas.

Continental Cup Fixture Wash-Up

We probably missed a few of the upcoming Conti Cup games that are due to take place prior to Christmas in our Week 8 review, so here’s a full list:

Sunday 5th December 2021

Blackburn Ladies v Sheffield United Women

Sunderland Ladies v Aston Villa Women

Manchester United Women v Leicester City Women

Everton Women v Durham Women

Wednesday 15th December 2021

Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers

Coventry United v Tottenham Hotspur

Crystal Palace v Bristol City

Everton v Manchester United

Leicester City v Manchester City

Lewes v Reading

London City Lionesses v Birmingham City

Sunderland v Liverpool

Watford v Charlton Athletic

West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion

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