Saturday’s WSL match saw West Ham face London City Lionesses at home. By the end of the 90 minutes, the home team walked away victorious, securing a 2-1 win.
A Strong Start From West Ham
In the early minutes of the match, the home side were looking strong, with an attempted shot from Asseyi, who missed the left hand post marginally after Kennedy of the Pride put pressure on her to shoot.
Another attempt came not much later, when Asseyi took another shot, this time making it on target and forcing Lete to make a strong save.
Overall, West Ham were looking dangerous, as they started strong and demonstrated commitment to pushing forward.
The First Goal
In the 21st minute, the first goal of the game came for Kelly Gago of the Hammers, who made a convincing run from the halfway line.
As Lete came forward, the striker expertly manoeuvred around her, facing an open goal as the defenders from the Lionesses were unable to catch her.
The new signing then confidently delivered the ball into the bottom left corner, making the scoreline 1-0.
London City Fight Back
The Pride also had their share of shots in the first half, with one attempt coming from Van De Donk in the 36th minute. She forced keeper Picaud to dive to save.
The ball then ricocheted back to Alexia Putellas, who sent it soaring over the top bar, ending the positive chance for the away side.
However, despite their best efforts, London City Lionesses were unable to find their own breakthrough in the first half, leaving the home side ahead going into half-time.
The Second Half Begins With A Goal
In the 48th minute, Asseyi netted the second goal for West Ham, creating a comfortable lead for the Hammers going into the second half.
The opportunity began before the halfway line, where the forward received the ball and began her run up to the other end of the pitch.
She then fired the ball into the goal from within the 18-yard box, skilfully defeating Lete and extending West Ham’s lead to 2-0.
Attempts From the Pride
Even from 2-0 down, the away side appeared to remain positive and continued to fight for a goal, demonstrating their passion and determination.
Van De Donk made an attempt in the 52nd minute. She failed to get a shot on target, however, merely catching the side netting of the goal.
Her frustrations were clear after the failed attempt, as she appeared to pound the pitch in clear anger and disappointment.
London City Lionesses Score
Finally, the away side got their goal after a match full of frustrations and marginally missed attempts, as Van De Donk scored for the Pride.
The assist came from Diani, who crossed the ball expertly into the 6-yard box to land comfortably at the feet of the Dutch international.
She then flicked the ball into the bottom corner of the goal, pulling one back for London City, and leaving the match in at 2-1 to the Hammers.
A Strong Home Game For West Ham
The home side played a convincing match to achieve their first victory of the season, demonstrating power and speed from their strikers.
West Ham have proven that their new signing, Gago, was a sensible choice, as she demonstrated her creativity in providing and finishing opportunities.
However, London City Lionesses should not be disheartened by the loss, as they created goal-scoring opportunities and proved that Van De Donk is a strong striker when called upon.
