Manchester United Women 3, West Ham Women 0
Manchester United Women got their WSL season off to a flying start with a 3-0 win over West Ham with goals by Geyse, Leah Galton, and Grace Clinton.
After a summer of change with high profile departures for goalkeeper Mary Earps, captain Katie Zelem, Lucia Garcia, Irene Guerrero, and top scorer Nikita Parris, the Reds signed a host of players including Elisabeth Terland, Dominique Janssen, Simi Awujo, Anna Sandberg, and Melvine Malard on permanent deals.
Two of the new signings – Terland and Janssen, started today and were joined by Grace Clinton who was making her debut for the Reds after loan spells with Bristol City and Tottenham.
Embed from Getty ImagesUnited were unlucky to not be ahead earlier after Terland appeared to be brought down by Camila Saez and later had a header cleared off the line by Amber Tysiak after Leah Galton’s cross was turned onto her cross bar by Kinga Szemik.
Terland was also released by Grace Clinton’s through ball but opted to try and cross rather than go for goal under pressure from three Hammers defenders who tried to track her run.
But for all the intricate build-up, the deserved opening goal for United arrived after 28 minutes when a hopeful long ball out of defence was being shepherded out by Camila Saez.
Geyse worked hard to win the ball off the West Ham defender and with nobody closing her down when she cut inside, she decided to shoot from close range and beat Szemik to break the deadlock despite the protestations of a foul by Saez.
Geyse’s tenacity on the right also created a chance for Grace Clinton after she won the ball and fed Ella Toone who slipped the ball to her team mate for a shot that went over the bar.
The Brazilian would have fully deserved it if her attempted overhead kick had gone in shortly before half time rather than hitting the crossbar after Galton’s corner was headed back into the fray by Maya Le Tissier when West Ham failed to clear it.
West Ham gave United a warning from a corner routine just before half time but the ball did not cross the line.
USA international Kristie Mewis came on at half time for Dagny Brynjarsdottir but United scored after 53 minutes with the first chance after the break when Grace Clinton glanced home a ball into the box by Lisa Naalsund after the Hammers failed to clear a United set piece.
Emma Harries was replaced by Seraina Piubel on the hour mark after a coming together with Phallon Tullis-Joyce as both challenged for the ball in the second half, while Li Mengwen was replaced by Shelina Zadorsky.
The pace of the game was already more pedestrian by the final few minutes and both sides made more changes with Celin Bizet joined on the pitch by Simi Awujo and Rachel William as the Reds saw out the easy win against the tiring Hammers who saw a header by Tysiak go over the bar from a corner.
And Toone was denied an emotional late goal after Szemik blocked her shot following a fast break involving Riviere and substitute Hinata Miyazawa.
RESPECTFUL APPLAUSE
There was respectful applause before the game for Ella Toone’s father Nick Toone – who died 3 days before his 60th birthday – and in the 8th minute for former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack who died a year ago.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United Women 3, West Ham Women 0
Phallon Tullis-Joyce: 7. Well protected by her defence but she did have some drama when she came to the edge of her area and headed the ball away from Emma Harries after a rogue back header by one of her own players. Late save to deny Shelina Zadorsky a chance of a tap in at the end.
Jayde Riviere: 7. Provided useful outlet down the right and battled hard.
Maya Le Tissier: 7. Big presence at the back and at set pieces.
Millie Turner: 7. Nothing to trouble her all afternoon.
Leah Galton: 8. Did her left back duties – blocking a cross from Emma Harries – but stayed high up and put crosses in. Scored in first half added time after cutting inside and scoring with her right foot.
Dominique Janssen: 7. Deep lying midfielder did ok, but offered up a chance for West Ham just before half time.
Geyse: 8. Fully committed attacking, won the ball back several times including an eye-catching take off Camila Saez which led to the opening goal. Outrageous overhead kick from a corner came off the crossbar. Tired in the second half.
Grace Clinton: 8. Great through ball to release Elisabeth Terland and could have had a goal herself in the first half before glancing a header in unchallenged early in the second half.
Lisa Naalsund: 7. Tied up midfield well and had a cheeky shot from 30 yards that went wide. Settled for setting up Grace Clinton with a simple ball into the box in the second half.
Ella Toone: 7. Linked up play well in attacking areas where she had some good moves. Teasing free kick deserved a United player on the end of it and she had a late shot blocked by Kinga Szemik.
Elisabeth Terland: 7. Had a penalty shout turned down and had a header cleared off the line – caused serious issues to the West Ham defence in the first half.
Celin Bizet (on for Geyse, 66): 6. Another debut but the game was won by this point.
Simi Awujo (on for Dominique Janssen, 77): No time to mark.
Rachel Williams (on for Elisabeth Terland, 77): No time to mark.
Hinata Miyazawa (on for Grace Clinton, 83): No time to mark
Gabby George (on for Leah Galton, 83): No time to mark
GOALS – Manchester United Women 3, West Ham Women 0
Man Utd Women 1, West Ham 0: 28. Geyse robbed Camila Saez who was trying the shield a hopeful long ball out of play, cut inside and opted to go for goal herself from close range – beating Kinga Szemik
Man Utd Women 2, West Ham 0: 45+3. Leah Galton got the ball on the left, cut inside 2 defenders and into the box before hitting a right foot shot from the edge of the box that beat Kinga Szemik.
Man Utd Women 3, West Ham 0: 53. Grace Clinton got on the end of a lofted ball into the area by Lisa Naalsund to glance United into a towering lead.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United Women 3, West Ham Women 0
Man Utd Women: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere, Le Tissier (C), Millie Turner, Galton (George 83), Janssen (Awujo 77), Geyse (Bizet 66), Clinton (Miyazawa 83), Naalsund, Toone, Terland (Williams 77)
Man Utd Women Subs not used: Middleton-Patel, Mannion, Malard, Ladd
Goals: Geyse 28; Galton 45+3; Clinton 53
West Ham Women: Szemik, Cooke, Tysiak, Saez, Mengwen (Zadorsky 60), Gorry (C) (Bergman Lundin 83), Brynjarsdottir (Mewis 46), Harries (Piubel 60), Asseyi (Pavi 73), Ueki
West Ham Women Subs not used: Walsh, Siren, Houssein
Booked: Harries 27 (foul on Jayde Riviere)
Referee: Cheryl Foster