Ella Toone celebrates against West Ham

Report: West Ham 0 United Women 2

Sunday 25 September 2022 17:24

Manchester United have earned a second win of the new Women's Super League campaign after overcoming West Ham this afternoon.

In our first away trip of the season, Marc Skinner's side ran out 2-0 winners against the Hammers. 

Lucia Garcia scored her first goal for the club to give United the breakthrough early in the second half after rounding Mackenzie Arnold in the home goal and putting the ball into an empty net. 

Minutes later, Ona Batlle and Hannah Blundell would link up to double our lead, with Blundell the one to finish the move off. 

The Reds now have two wins from two, with both a home and an away win under our belts. 

Lucia Garcia celebrates scoring her first goal for United.
It was a tale of domination for United in the opening 45 minutes, but with little to show for all of the chances created. 

The Reds came close to opening the scoring early on, with a dangerous delivery into the box from Katie Zelem being blocked on the line by Katie Longhurst. 

A lovely team move would see United take the lead inside the 20 minute mark, but it was ultimately called offside. Maya Le Tissier executed a pinpoint diagonal ball that was helped on its way through to Leah Galton who poked it beyond Arnold in the Hammers goal, but our travelling fans would have to wait to see us go ahead. 

Just before the half-time whistle, Millie Turner cleared the ball off the line to keep West Ham at bay; before almost converting Zelem's free-kick at the other end minutes later. 
The second 45 proved to be a far more lively affair between the two clubs, but it would be United who would gain the upper hand.

Just five minutes after the break, we found the breakthrough courtesy of Garcia. The Spaniard latched onto a Maya Le Tissier pass that took out the entire West Ham backline, before rounding Arnold and slotting into an empty net. 
United celebrate our second goal against West Ham.

Sustained pressure would see us double our lead five minutes later, this time through Hannah Blundell. It was full-back to full-back, with Batlle's ball falling to Blundell just outside of the box and, with little pressure around her, she passed the ball into the bottom corner to give United some breathing space. 

Having played their way back into the game, the hosts thought they had pulled one back after Parker latched onto a deflected ball into the United box and instinctively finished beyond Earps. But, after a review with her assistant, the referee ruled it out for offside. 

Reds skipper Zelem came close to getting a third goal with a long-range effort late on, but Arnold was equal to it to make a great save. 

A handful down the right: Ona Batlle in action against the Hammers.

While the hosts continued to pile on the pressure going into the final stages of the game, United showed composure at the back to secure a second win and clean sheet of the new season.

Next up for the Reds is an away trip to Aston Villa as we open our Continental Cup campaign next Saturday (1 October). 

MATCH DETAILS

West Ham: Arnold; Smith, Parker, Cissoko, Shimizu; Asseyi (Kyvag 84), Ziu (Atkinson 59), Longhurst, Brynjarsdottir (Houssein 84); Hayashi (Stringer 45), Evans (Walker 68). 

Unused subs: 
Walker, Filis, Fisk, Hillyerd, Flannery.

United: Earps; Batlle, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Ladd, Zelem; Garcia (Leon 80), Toone (Moore 80), Galton (Parris 88); Russo (Thomas 80). 

Unused subs: Baggaley, Thorisdottir, Boe Risa, Tounkara.

Goals: Garcia 50, Blundell 55. 

Bookings: Blundell 14, Russo 63, Turner 70.

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