Aston Villa put relegation-battling Leicester Metropolis to the sword on Girls’s Soccer Weekend, prevailing 5-0 of their WSL conflict on Sunday.
The Foxes noticed loads of the ball when the sport was tight at Villa Park however have been unable to make their probabilities depend as Carla Ward’s aspect continued their wonderful season, additional cementing their place in fifth place.
The hosts threatened to take the lead with simply over 90 seconds on the clock, with Kirsty Hanson slipping in Rachel Daly, however the ahead may solely discover the side-netting from a good angle.
Straight down the opposite finish, an unmarked Sophie Howard almost nodded Leicester right into a shock lead from a nook, however her free header on the stretch went vast.
Sophie Tierney then had an effort cleared off the road within the moments that adopted earlier than Aileen Whelan thought she had damaged the impasse for the guests, however the referee’s whistle was blown for a foul within the scramble which preceded her strike.
Villa took benefit of this early chaos and took the lead after six minutes. Kenza Dali roamed ahead from midfield having taken the ball off of Daly and located the underside nook from 20 yards.
DALI JUST WOW! 🌟@KenzaDali is unstoppable proper now! 🔥#WomensFootballWeekend @AVWFCOfficial pic.twitter.com/0W8lB4RcNn
— Barclays Girls’s Tremendous League (@BarclaysWSL) March 26, 2023
Regardless of falling behind and sitting backside of the desk, Leicester nonetheless endeavoured to take the sport to their high-flying hosts. Ashleigh Plumptre notably roamed ahead and fired straight at Hannah Hampton following an honest spell of possession and urgent from the Foxes.
However regardless of that strain, Villa added a second simply after the half-hour mark in opposition to the run of play. Dali once more drove on the Leicester defence and handed to Hanson to cross, with Alisha Lehmann coming inside and directing the ball previous Janina Leitzig on the far put up.
From the ensuing kick-off, Villa received again possession and went near scoring a 3rd. A ricochet allowed Dali to sneak in behind a sleeping Leicester backline, together with her volley skimming the crossbar on the way in which over.
On the stroke of half-time Daly made it three for Villa, robbing Howard of possession and calmly rolling the ball into the web.
Rachel Daly scores objectives.
The @AVWFCOfficial striker is unstoppable in entrance of aim! 🔥#WomensFootballWeekend @RachelDaly3 pic.twitter.com/A0DjaFVQKF
— Barclays Girls’s Tremendous League (@BarclaysWSL) March 26, 2023
After the break, Lehmann broke down the precise and picked out Daly with a superbly timed low cross, with the England worldwide ending from shut vary.
Villa’s fifth got here on the finish of an excellent sweeping transfer. Daly dropped deep and located the run of Mayumi Pacheco, who was capable of put the ball on a plate for Lehmann to faucet in.
Substitute Molly Pike went near grabbing a comfort for Leicester with the clock ticking down, however dragged a shot from the sting of the field vast.
Ruby Mace then tried an audacious dink from 30 yards however the ball landed on high of the web and Hampton’s clear sheet remained in tact.
Villa have been denied a sixth when Leitzig pushed away a header from Georgia Mullet in stoppage time and the hosts needed to accept simply the 5 objectives.
Leicester stay rooted to the foot of the WSL desk, whereas Villa moved to inside six factors of title-chasing Arsenal.
GK: Hannah Hampton – 5/10 – Had a couple of furry moments making an attempt to say crosses and clear the ball, getting the rub of the inexperienced on these events.
RB: Evie Rabjohn – 7/10 – The 17-year-old had fairly a activity making an attempt to silence Leicester’s busy assault however she did her job effectively.
CB: Danielle Turner – 7/10 – Had quite a bit on her plate early doorways however managed to outlive.
CB: Anna Patten – 7/10 – Equally needed to stand up to loads of early strain.
LB: Mayumi Pacheco – 8/10 – Was capable of virtually singlehandedly play by Leicester’s press.
CM: Lucy Staniforth – 7/10 – After a difficult opening managed to stamp her authority in midfield.
CM: Kenza Dali – 10/10 – Excellent. Drove ahead at will and Leicester have been unable to cease her. Opening aim utterly modified the sport.
CM: Jordan Nobbs – 8/10 – Each time on the ball, Nobbs at all times managed to search out herself in open area.
RW: Alisha Lehmann – 9/10 – Performed on the fringes early on however may odor blood as Leicester crumbled, turning into an increasing number of concerned as the sport continued.
CF: Rachel Daly – 10/10 – A really full efficiency from one of many signings of the season. Unbelievable.
LW: Kirsty Hanson – 8/10 – Stretched play together with her tempo and the next deliveries have been often wonderful.
Substitutes
Freya Gregory (60′ for Hanson) – 6/10
Laura Blindkilde (60′ for Staniforth) – 6/10
Georgia Mullett (85′ for Dali) – N/A
Alice Keitley (90′ for Lehmann) – N/A
Supervisor
Carla Ward – 9/10 – Villa withstood Leicester’s press and loved a memorable day.
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GK: Janina Leitzig – 5/10 – Exhausting to place the blame at her door for the objectives. Suffered a nasty shoulder damage halfway by the second half however soldiered on.
RB: CJ Bott – 4/10 – After an aggressive opening needed to retreat when Villa’s attacking high quality took maintain.
CB: Sophie Howard – 3/10 – Spurned a fantastic probability to interrupt the impasse earlier than gifting the opposition a aim. Not nice.
CB: Ashleigh Plumptre – 4/10 – All the time made herself obtainable for the ball and bought ahead in tandem with Nevin. Sadly this left Leicester a little bit open when chasing the sport they usually have been punished.
LB: Courtney Nevin – 4/10 – Lulled right into a false sense of safety by Lehmann’s gradual and sloppy begin, finally chasing the Swiss’ shadow.
CM: Samantha Tierney – 4/10 – Enthusiastic together with her urgent and sometimes discovered herself as the best participant up the pitch.
CM: Ruby Mace – 4/10 – Technically good in her personal proper however Leicester have been finally punished for making an attempt to go toe-to-toe with a far superior aspect.
RM: Aileen Whelan – 5/10 – Leicester’s interchanging frontline brought about Villa issues, however they in the end lacked penetration – Whelan’s early disallowed aim was the closest they got here.
AM: Carrie Jones – 5/10 – Had some vivid concepts when in possession however could not carve out a transparent opening.
LM: Josie Inexperienced – 4/10 – Tucked inside from the left however to little avail as soon as Villa had raced away with the sport.
CF: Hannah Cain – 4/10 – Dropped deep and into the channels when Leicester thought they have been within the ascendancy, however later discovered herself remoted.
Substitutes
Jemma Purfield (70′ for Plumptre) – 4/10
Molly Pike (70′ for Inexperienced) – 4/10
Remy Siemsen (70′ for Tierney) – 4/10
Georgia Eaton-Collins (70′ for Bott) – 4/10
Missy Goodwin (75′ for Cain) – N/A
Supervisor
Willie Kirk – 4/10 – Leicester confirmed great bravery, however they only aren’t on Aston Villa’s stage.
Participant of the match – Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
