The Women’s Super League delivered drama across the country this weekend as London City Lionesses claimed their first-ever top-flight victory, Manchester City put five past Tottenham, and Chelsea edged Leicester in a tightly fought contest. Brighton secured their opening win of the campaign while Manchester United and Arsenal cancelled each other out in a subdued clash, all against the backdrop of emotional tributes to former Liverpool and Chelsea manager Matt Beard.
Everton v London City Lionesses 2-1 to the visitors
The newcomers got their first win of the WSL season after suffering two horrific losses though to be clubs.
Everton started well in the season, beating Liverpool at Anfield in the Merseyside derby 4-1, but has since lost to Spurs 2-0 and now London City.
Isabel Goodwin scored 16 goals in 18 games last season in the Championship.
She shot high into the roof of the net after a 13th-minute corner to put them ahead.
Just before the hour mark, the 22-year-old latched onto a cut-back from Nikita Parris and fired in from close range.
Jana Fernandez gave away another penalty this season after she committed a clumsy challenge on substitute Yuma Momiki in the box.
Then Momiki got one back as she slotted the resulting penalty into the bottom right corner, but she could not get it over a mark to earn a point. The loss against London City ended a 10-game unbeaten streak against newly promoted opposition. Everton now has three straight away matches before they return to Goodison when they face Manchester United next month.
Spurs v Manchester City 5-1 to the visitors
Spurs were the only club to not concede in the first two games of the WSL until this point, but their defence crumbled.
The Blues registered successive Women's Super League wins for the first time since March 2024, ruthlessly ending their hosts' unbeaten start to the campaign.
Lauren Hemp went off in the 22nd minute after making a tackle with Jess Naz and watched the rest of the game in a protective boot.
In the 23rd minute, an example of something likely worked on the training pitch—an excellent build-up routine with Viviane Miedema. After a little one-two with Aoba Fujino and Bunny Shaw, Fujino produced an excellent finish, beating Lize Kop with power at the near post.
Vivianne Miedema scored her first goal of the season in the 39th minute. She flicked in a corner sent by Alex Greenwood.
That was not all in the first half; City made it 3-0. City controlled the first half. Kerolin ran into the box, she attempted to bend it into the top corner, but her effort deflected to Kerstin Casparij at the back.
City was penalised in the second half after Aoba Fujino broke into the box, and Clare Hunt lunged in and received a booking.
It took a while for the penalty to be taken. Miedema and Greenwood stood around the penalty spot with the ball before Shaw came up. The Spurs keeper made her presence known in some mind games as she smashed her hands together, making a loud noise. It worked. It was a long run-up; she placed it to the right, and Lize Kop dove down and turned it around the post.
Grace Clinton came on against her loan team of 2023/24 in her first appearance after completing the move from Manchester United to City.
When you thought the game was over, Clinton had other ideas, thanks to the fantastic work of Kerolin. The Brazilian burst down the left, cut the ball backwards towards the edge of the box, and Clinton delivered a perfect debut goal.
By the 80th minute, Spurs fans began to leave the stadium before they scored seven minutes later. Olivia Holdt picked up the ball on the edge of the area and sent an absolute rocket into the top corner.
City was not done with four goals; they wanted more. Grace Clinton set herself up for an effort from range, her strike was blocked and deflected into the path of sub Laura Coombs, who wiped it past into the back of the net.
Chelsea v Leicester 1-0
Before the match, both teams stood around the centre circle with members of the club officials to take part in a minute's silence for Matt Beard. They placed a wreath with blue and white flowers for Beard, who managed Chelsea, setting the foundations for Emma Hayes to build the legacy.
Aggie Beever-Jones becomes the first player ever to score in three games in a row this season.
She is very much underrated, especially with the return of Sam Kerr.’
She took advantage of a ricochet of Celeste Boureille to find the back of the net.
It was a tale of two nasty challenges, either side of Beever-Jones’ goal, as Chelsea captain Millie Bright and then Leicester midfielder Emily van Egmond were perhaps fortunate not to receive red cards for separate, robust tackles.
Erin Cuthbert was booked for a foul she did not commit, as a Leicester player pushed her physically to commit the foul.
In the 47th minute, the fans at Kingsmeadow unified in a round of applause to remember Matt Beard, who died aged 47.
Kerr returned to Kingsmeadow and almost got her 101st goal as she almost got on the end of a fantastic solo run from Beever-Jones.
Leicester came close to snatching a late equaliser, but Hampton made a superb save to deny Rosella Ayane.
Holders won 1-0 against Leicester. More goals were expected.
Concerns will mount on the holders due to the lack of goals, and this result could be cruel if it comes down to a goal difference.
With ten shots and eight on target, the final respect was lacking from the home side.
Brighton v West Ham 4-1
Brighton's first win of the season came in a 4-1 thrashing of West Ham, who have no points yet.
The hosts dominated the first half. Caitlin Hayes headed in the opener from Fran Kirby’s corner, and Kiko Seine finished clinically to double their lead.
West Ham Ffion Morgan was taken down in the second half by the Brighton keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who converted.
Just minutes later, Brighton restored their two-goal advantage as Arsenal loanee Rosa Kafaji curled a brilliant effort into the far top corner to add a two-goal cushion back.
Seike's low cross-shot came back off the post, but Brighton maintained possession, and Marisa Olislagers' shot from the edge of the area flew in off the bar.
Victory lifted Dario Vidosic's side to sixth, while West Ham remained bottom of the table after three games without a point.
Manchester United v Arsenal 0-0
Some Arsenal supporters even held up a sign reading "We love you Beardy,” which was lifted in the 47th minute with applause. He was just 47 years old when he died.
In the 8th minute, the crowd came together to give a minute-long round of applause for Maddie Cusack, who died on September 20, 2023.
United started on the front foot, knowing Arsenal were slow and not awake at the beginning. In their last two games, they conceded first.
The hosts applied early pressure and should have been 1-0 up when goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar spilt a cross, inviting a succession of shots, before Jess Park's effort was blocked on the goalline.
Malard had tested van Domselaar within 50 seconds of kick-off, but United's early pressure did not come to anything.
The closest effort was from Olivia Smith, which was tipped onto the crossbar by United goalkeeper Phallon Tallis-Joyce in the first half. Smith started the game after learning that the manager who brought her to the WSL had passed.
After scoring nine goals in two games, this was their only shot on target.
Other than that, it was a quiet affair for the teams fighting at the top of the table.
The teams struggled to assert control, and both sides enjoyed brief spells of pressure, lacking quality.
Young stars like Anna Sandberg and Katie Reid showed their strength and calmness in the biggest games.
It's a record attendance at Leigh Sports Village for Manchester United Women, with 8,665
Overall, however, Arsenal lacked an edge in attack.
They teased with fluctuating intensity but were too sloppy, often giving the ball away or misplacing passes and only enjoyed fleeting spells of control.
Due to the passing of Matt Beard, a WSL legend, Liverpool and Chelsea's home game against Aston Villa this weekend has been postponed. A minute's silence was observed at all games.
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