West Ham United Women produced a brilliant comeback on Wednesday night to claim a 2–1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion Women in the Subway Women’s League Cup, keeping their perfect start in Group C intact.
The tie was played under the lights at the Chigwell Construction Stadium, where the Hammers showed grit and determination to turn the match on its head after falling behind early on.The visitors made the brighter start and were rewarded midway through the first half when Carla Camacho pounced on a rebound inside the six-yard box to give Brighton the lead.
The goal came after a flurry of attacking pressure from the Seagulls, who threatened down both flanks and forced West Ham goalkeeper Megan Walsh into a couple of important early saves.
Despite the setback, Rehanne Skinner’s side didn’t panic and gradually began to grow into the game, finding rhythm through the midfield pairing of Amber Tysiak and Leila Wandeler, who began to break up play and feed the forwards.
The equaliser arrived just before the break and was well deserved. After good work down the left from Shekiera Martinez, the winger’s cross caused chaos in the Brighton penalty area, allowing Seraina Piubel to react quickest and head home from close range.
It was a moment of instinct from the Swiss midfielder, who continues to impress since arriving in East London. The goal lifted the crowd and shifted the momentum firmly in West Ham’s favour heading into the interval.
The second half saw both teams push for control, with Brighton continuing to look dangerous on the counter through Fran Kirby and Kiko Seike, but West Ham’s defence (marshalled by Shelina Zadorsky) stood tall.
Substitutions made by Skinner midway through the half proved decisive. The introduction of Viviane Asseyi and Riko Ueki injected pace into the attack, stretching Brighton’s back line and opening up space for Martinez to exploit.
The winning moment came in the 75th minute. A neat passing move between Asseyi and Ueki carved open Brighton’s defence, and Martinez slot the ball low across goal into the far corner.
Brighton pressed late on, forcing a couple of nervy moments in stoppage time, but the Hammers held firm to claim all three points and maintain their lead at the top of the group.
After the final whistle, manager Rehanne Skinner praised her team’s resilience, saying: “Tonight sums up the togetherness and spirit in this group. Even when we went behind, we stayed calm, trusted the process, and got our reward. It’s a performance built on character, and that’s exactly what we need going forward.”
Shekiera Martinez also reflected on the result and her decisive goal. “I love scoring goals, but what really matters is helping the team win," she said. "The pass from Vivi was perfect, and I just hit it as cleanly as I could. We all celebrate every goal together — that’s what makes us a team.”
The result means West Ham sit top of Group C with two wins from two, three points clear of the chasing pack, and in an excellent position to reach the knockout stages. With momentum now building, Skinner’s side will hope to carry their confidence into the upcoming league fixtures.
West Ham Utd: Walsh, Endo (Denton 46), Tysiak. Zadorsky (c) (Nyström 46), Hanshaw, Csiki, Brasero (Siren 66), Paví (Ueki 66), Piubel (Asseyi 66), Wandeler, Martinez
Subs not used: Szemik, Houssein, Taylor-Brown, Cemal
Goals: Piubel (29), Martinez (75)
Booked: Wandeler, Paví, Csiki
Brighton & Hove Albion: Baggaley, Mpome (Rule 62), Kafaji, Agyemang, Carabali ©, Rayner (Noordam 40), Hayes, Camacho (Kirby 62), McLauchlan (Olislagers 62), Tsunoda, Heron (Seike 78)
Subs not used: Nnadozie, Symonds, Cankovic, Martin
Goals: Camacho (16)
Booked: Rayner
Player Ratings
Megan Walsh (7): Made several key saves early on to keep Brighton from extending their lead. Confident with her handling and distribution throughout.
Yui Endo (6): Defended solidly on the flank and limited Brighton’s space out wide. Could have offered a bit more going forward but stayed disciplined.
Amber Tysiak (7): Worked tirelessly in midfield, breaking up play and helping transition the ball forward. A strong physical presence.
Shelina Zadorsky (7): Commanding at the back and organised the defence well. Read the game intelligently and dealt with Brighton’s aerial threat.
Verena Hanshaw (6): Steady performance defensively, provided width when needed but focused mainly on her defensive duties.
Sarah Brasero-Carreira (6): Showed good energy and movement but struggled to make a big impact in the final third before being replaced.
Anna Csiki (6): Neat and tidy in possession, kept the ball moving and supported both phases of play without standing out.
Lena Wandeler (6): Helped West Ham regain control of the midfield after a slow start. Calm under pressure and effective in recycling possession.
M Pavi (6): Worked hard off the ball but found it difficult to influence the game in attacking areas.
Seraina Piubel (8): A standout performer. Reacted quickest to score the equaliser and constantly looked to drive the team forward.
Shekiera Martinez (8): The matchwinner. Set up Piubel’s goal and then scored the decisive strike herself. A constant threat with her pace and composure.
Viviane Asseyi (7): Made an instant impact off the bench. Played a key part in the build-up to the winning goal and added experience late on.
Riko Ueki (7): Lively cameo. Linked up brilliantly with Asseyi and Martinez, and her movement stretched Brighton’s defence.
Oona Sirén (6): Came on late to help shore up midfield and see the game out. Calm and composed in possession.
Anouk Denton (6): Brought energy and defensive cover in the closing stages. Didn’t put a foot wrong.
Eva Nyström (6): A late introduction but made a couple of important clearances under pressure to help protect the lead.
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