Ryan Asman

West Ham beat Aston Villa 2-1 in a dramatic match in the WSL on Saturday. West Ham took a two goal lead in the first half thanks to Dagny Brynjarsdottir and Honoka Hayashi.  Alisha Lehmann saw her penalty for Aston Villa saved by Mackenzie Arnold in the second half before Kenza Dali got a goal back for the hosts.  Hawa Cissoko was sent off for the visitors in injury time after appearing to throw a slap at Sarah Mayling. Hammers manager Paul Konchesky and another member of the coaching staff were shown red cards after a melee on the touchline as Cissoko left the pitch.

Carla Ward had won the WSL Manager of the Month after Aston Villa had won their first two league games, and Rachel Daly had won WSL Player of the Month after scoring three goals in her first two league games. West Ham came into the game off the back of losing their last two league games after winning their first. Both had drawn in the Conti Cup two weeks ago before winning penalty shoot-outs for an additional point.

The Hammers opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when Brynjarsdottir headed in a Kirsty Smith corner and scored in her the third successive game for West Ham.

Aston Villa had a couple of half chances before the away side doubled their lead in the 14th minute.  Hayashi scored her first goal for the club with a low finish from about 6 yards out.

Daly headed wide from a corner in the 17th minute as Villa looked to get back into the game.  At the other end, Viviane Asseyi collected the ball after a poor back pass, rounded the goalkeeper but went out wide and shot into the side netting. Hayashi shot over three minutes later. Mayling then saw her free kick for Villa take a deflection off the wall and was saved by Arnold. 

Arnold was booked in the 32nd minute after a ‘coming together’ between her and Daly which resulted in the Villa forward falling to the ground.

Arnold saved a volley from Daly in the 38th minute, and a minute later the home side shot over from around 25 yards out.  The closest Villa came to scoring a goal in the first half came in additional time when Anna Patten’s headed from a corner hit the outside of the post.

Arnold was warned about time wasting early in the second half. Risa Shimizu tested Anna Leat with shot in the 60th minute as West Ham looked to go further ahead. 

Villa had a number of chances shortly after with Arnold making a save from Kirsty Hanson, and Patten’s header was also saved by the Hammers goalkeeper.

Aston Villa were awarded a penalty in the 72nd minute when Kate Longhurst was adjudged to have handballed. Lehmann stepped up to take the spot kick which Arnold saved diving to her right and pushing the ball away before it was cleared.

Villa did find the net in the 77th minute.  Daly passed to Dali who scored with a shot into the top corner from about 15 yards to set up an exciting last 15 minutes or so.

West Ham prevented Villa having any clear chances though with Daly sending a shot over in the 90th minute but the offside flag was up anyway.

Photo: Ryan Asman

In the first minute of stoppage time, Mayling pulled Cissoko back as she tried to break.  Then there was some pushing and shoving between the two before Cissoko raised her hands at Mayling.  Referee Cheryl Foster immediately showed the West Ham player a red card and booked Mayling for her part.  Cissoko took her time leaving the pitch and as she passed the dugouts there was an alteration between the coaching staff.  After speaking to the fourth official and assistant referee, Foster sent off Konchesky and another member of the backroom team in the fourth extra minute.

Villa had a few half chances in the remaining additional minutes but were unable to score an equaliser as they fell to their first defeat of the season.  The win leaves West Ham sixth in the league after the weekend’s matches, Villa are fourth.  Next weekend, Aston Villa are at home to Everton on Saturday, and West Ham are at home to Reading on Sunday.

Line ups

Aston Villa: Leat, Mayling, Patten (Harding 78’), Turner, Pacheco, Corsie (c), Dali, Blindkilde, Lehmann, Hanson, Daly

Unused substitutes: Boye-Hlorkah, Draper, McLoughlin, Gregory, Goodwin, Rabjohn, MacPhail, Mullett

Goal – Dali 77’

Booked – Mayling 90’+1

West Ham United: Arnold, Shimizu, Fisk, Cissoko, Smith, Longhurst (Filis 88’), Brynjarsdottir (c), Hayashi (Snerle 58’), Evans, Kyvag (Atkinson 75’), Asseyi

Unused substitutes: Hillyerd, Walker, Houssein, Flannery

Goals – Brynjarsdottir 2’, Hayashi 14’

Booked – Arnold 32’, Snerle 75’

Sent off – Cissoko 90’+1

Referee – Cheryl Foster

Attendance – 1,753