Everton Women celebrated their first victory of the Women’s Super League (WSL) season with a tense 1-0 triumph over their Merseyside rivals, Liverpool, at Goodison Park. The match highlighted a pivotal moment in the first half when Katja Snoeijs converted a penalty awarded by referee Abigail Byrne in the 41st minute. The decision to award the penalty sparked some controversy after replays suggested that the foul, involving Japanese midfielders Fuka Nagano and Honoka Hayashi, had actually occurred just outside the penalty area. Despite this contentious call, Snoeijs, a Dutch striker, remained composed and struck the decisive blow for manager Brian Sorensen’s team, marking a crucial win in Everton’s campaign.
Throughout the match, Everton’s strategy appeared focused on defence, with the team aiming to absorb Liverpool’s offensive pressure and retaliate through counter-attacks. Matt Beard’s Liverpool side appeared dominant, maintaining possession and launching numerous attempts at goal; however, their performance suffered from some sloppy passing, presenting the home side with opportunities for quick turnovers. Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan was instrumental to her team’s success, making an outstanding double save in the second half to deny Nagano, further cementing Everton’s sturdy defensive display.
Late in the game, drama unfolded with Liverpool’s Ceri Holland feeling an infringement had occurred when she went down under a challenge from Everton’s Sara Holmgaard. However, her pleas for a penalty were disregarded, and Liverpool increasingly ran out of ideas as the match continued. As the whistle blew, Liverpool left Goodison Park frustrated after amassing 17 attempts on goal, with six being on target, yet failing to secure a single point.
In another thrilling matchup, Aston Villa nabbed their first Women’s Super League win of the season in dramatic fashion, besting Crystal Palace with a scoreline of 3-2. Ebony Salmon emerged as the hero for Villa, netting the winning goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time. The game saw initial breakthroughs from both sides; My Cato of Palace opened the scoring with a confident finish into the bottom corner after a tidy assist from Mille Gejl. Villa quickly found their rhythm, with Anna Patten scoring the equalizer shortly after, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from Palace.
Before the halftime break, Villa turned the tides, thanks to Rachel Daly, who found the net following a rapid counterattack set up by Kirsty Hanson. Crystal Palace then appeared to have salvaged a share of the points when Annabel Blanchard equalized in the 86th minute, creating a tense finish. Nevertheless, Salmon’s late show concluded a thrilling afternoon for Villa, securing their ascent to eighth place on the league table, while Palace found themselves languishing at the bottom in defeat.
In a third match report, Manchester United cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Leicester City at King Power Stadium, with Elisabeth Terland contributing to her team’s success once more. United demonstrated tactical intelligence and team cohesion, particularly late in the first-half when Geyse’s excellent cross found Terland, who powered the header home. The second goal, scored by Celin Bizet in the dying minutes, ensured United left with all three points after she displayed exceptional speed to convert a long pass. This victory pushed Manchester United into fifth place on the table, with potential to leapfrog into third depending on their game in hand against forthcoming rivals Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal.
These matches not only underscored the drama and unpredictability of the Women’s Super League but also showcased remarkable individual and team performances that will undeniably impact the league standings as the season progresses.
