Lauren Hemp scores one and assists another as Man City climb top of the WSL with a 2-1 win over Aston Villa; Mariona Caldentay and Rosa Kafaji help Arsenal to first WSL win since Jonas Eidevall's exit; Liverpool held by impressive Crystal Palace; Leicester beat Everton
Monday 21 October 2024 14:48, UK
Lauren Hemp played a starring role as Man City came from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-1 and climb top of the Women's Super League.
For the second league game in succession - following last Sunday's 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield - Gareth Taylor's side fell behind, and this time it was very much against the run of play.
Kirsty Hanson led a counter-attack down the left and clipped a ball into the near post, where a deft touch from summer signing Gabi Nunes beat Ayaka Yamashita.
It was the first time in five matches in all competitions at the Joie Stadium this season that the hosts had conceded.
Aston Villa - still searching for their first WSL win of the season - were so compact and well-organised for long spells that City were left frustrated, but the lively Hemp scored the goal she and her team-mates deserved just after the hour, hooking home after a weak punch from Sabrina D'Angelo.
City turned the screw after that and Hemp capped a stellar individual performance under 10 minutes later with a mesmerising run and cross that found Jill Roord to slam home and complete the win.
Arsenal picked up their first league win in three games after overcoming a stubborn West Ham at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
The Gunners - currently led by interim head coach Renee Slegers after Jonas Eidevall's exit on October 15 - dominated proceedings in the first half, but their only real chance of note was when Alessia Russo controlled Frida Maanum's knock-on superbly and fired across the face of goal.
Within seconds of the restart, West Ham striker Viviane Asseyi hit a volley on the turn, but scuffed wide of the left-hand post. Slegers then made four changes after 58 minutes, which changed the game.
Substitute Stina Blackstenius drew a clumsy foul from Amber Tysiak, with Mariona Caldentay dispatching the resulting spot-kick.
The Gunners had avoided defeat in the previous eight games when they had scored first, so the writing was on the way when West Ham offered little in the way of a response.
The duo then linked up again, this time as Caldentay found the clever run of Blackstenius, who cut in off the left and squared for fellow sub Rosa Kafaji to fired a first-time shot into the top left corner and round off the win.
Crystal Palace almost masterminded another shock away victory in their debut WSL season but were held to a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.
The Eagles took an early lead when some calamitous home defending allowed Katie Stengel to fire home against her old club.
Palace went on to dominate the first half but found themselves level at the break, after an equally painful defensive mistake from Josie Green allowed Cornelia Kapocs through on goal to equalise.
Stengel should have restored Palace's lead either side of the interval but skied one effort over and saw another deflected behind at close range.
Matt Beard made a triple change at the break, including the removal of goalscorer Kapocs, but it did little to aid the hosts' performance as they dropped two points against the division's newcomers.
Leicester City recorded their first Women's Super League win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Everton at King Power Stadium.
Yuka Momiki's superb solo goal in just the eighth minute was enough for Amandine Miquel to earn her first win in all competitions since she replaced Willie Kirk as Leicester manager in the summer.
Everton remain winless, with this their third defeat in five games, to keep them second bottom above West Ham and below Aston Villa, who are the other sides yet to pick up a victory.
