Report: Aston Villa 1 United Women 4

As the games continue to come thick and fast in the early weeks of 2026, Marc Skinner made two changes from the side that beat Arsenal on Wednesday to book our place in the Subway Women’s League Cup final for the first time, calling Melvine Malard and Lea Schuller back into the XI. Elisabeth Terland and Simi Awujo were our players moving that shifted to the bench.

Julia Zigiotti put us ahead with a remarkable ‘Olimpico’ goal in the first half. That was quickly cancelled out by former United favourite Kirsty Hanson, but our strength in depth eventually told when three goals in eight minutes in the final quarter of the game made the difference.

Terland came off the bench to add to her tally, before Jess Park capped another great performance with a goal, and Hanna Lundkvist scored her first for the club, on her WSL debut.

FIRST HALF

After a defensively well-organised Villa side claimed victory in Leigh back in November, Skinner asked his team to control the tempo early. Dominating possession, there was a clear directness in the opening stages with several through balls behind the home defence that didn’t quite connect.

After Hanson had shot wide from distance for Villa, United’s first opportunity fell to WSL debutant Ellen Wangerheim, whose effort at the far post cleared the bar. Park then threatened midway through the half, dancing her way into the box but denied just as she shaped to shoot.

United went close to breaking the deadlock just over half an hour in when Malard shifted the ball onto her left foot, seeing a low strike across goal expertly parried behind by Ellie Roebuck. But there was no stopping the resultant corner, as Zigiotti swung in the curling delivery from the left that bypassed everyone, bouncing into the net via the far post.

However, Villa responded immediately, calling on the in-form Hanson. After cutting onto her right foot in United’s box, the equaliser wrong-footed Phallon Tullis-Joyce as the winger shaped to aim for the far corner and cleverly pulled the shot to the near post instead.

Both sides had further chances before the break. As United looked to retake the lead, Zigiotti broke the lines with purpose, getting into position to shoot but seeing the first attempt blocked and the second clear the crossbar. Then, Tullis-Joyce kept Maya Hijikata out with a diving save.

SECOND HALF

Schuller went close to scoring in the first few minutes after the restart, with Wangerheim winning the ball in the air to put the ball across goal into her team-mate’s path. But the Germany international got her angles wrong and miscued the volley wide.

An hour in, Villa managed to carve out a chance for youngster Georgia Mullett, whose first-time shot from a good position missed the target. Yet United were largely limiting Villa, especially the dangerous Hanson, who was much less involved after the break.

Skinner soon rang the changes looking to freshen things up, introducing Terland and Lundkvist, and then Lisa Naalsund, although it was Park who threatened next when she was closed down by Lucy Parker at the back post as the ball came across.

The substitutions then paid off as the clocked ticked past 70 as Terland applied the finish from Malard’s knockdown. It was an instinctive sweep of the right leg from Teri, effortlessly directing the ball towards goals – Roebuck got a touch on the ball but couldn’t keep it out.

As they had done in the first half, Villa tried to respond immediately, but Tullis-Joyce was equal to Ebony Salmon’s near-post shot, turning the ball behind. Park then quickly put the comfort of some daylight in the score-line, a goal of the highest quality as she spotted the smallest gap to drive into the box, beating two players and finding the bottom corner.

United weren’t done and Lundkvist added some extra gloss, overlapping from right back. Park saw the run coming after glancing over her shoulder and bided her team, before laying the ball into the Swede’s path to strike first time past Roebuck.

MATCH DETAILS

Aston Villa: Roebuck; Parker, Patten (c), Deslandes (Nighswonger 72); Wilms, Staniforth, Taylor (Jean-Francois 63), Maritz; Hijikata (Round 86); Mullett (Salmon 63), Hanson.

Subs not used: D’Angelo, Maltby, Sallaway, Lea.

Goal: Hanson 37.

Booked: Taylor, Deslandes.

United: Tullis-Joyce; Riviere (Lundkvist 61), Le Tissier (c), Janssen, Sandberg (Turner 86); Zigiotti, Miyazawa; Wangerheim (Naalsund 66), Park, Malard (Drury 86); Schuller (Terland 61).

Subs not used: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Awujo, Griffiths.

Goals: Zigiotti 35, Terland 71, Park 75, Lundkvist 79.