The Barclays Women’s Super League made a return over the weekend with the highly anticipated 2024/25 season now in full swing.
We were treated to six fixtures spanning three days, finishing with a blockbuster battle between Arsenal and Manchester at the Emirates Stadium.
The games marked the start of a new era for plenty of clubs. Chelsea, Brighton and Aston Villa all saw new managers step up to the plate, while Crystal Palace made their WSL debut after promotion from the Women’s Championship last season.
We were also given the opportunity to see a whole host of new talent grace the pitch after a very busy summer transfer window, seeing so many new players join the WSL.
Results:
At 90min, we’ve analysed each team’s performance and put together our most impressive starting XI.
Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (Chelsea)
Although Chelsea secured their first three points from a new season at Kingsmeadow, it wasn’t an easy 90 minutes.
Aston Villa looked threatening up until the final whistle, with goalkeeper Hampton having to play a crucial role in helping the club keep a clean sheet.
She was able to prevent the ball from hitting the back of the net, at a time when her team were under a lot of pressure.
Defenders
Alex Greenwood (Man City), Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal) and Taylor Hinds (Liverpool)
Man City‘s new club captain Alex Greenwood was remarkable at the back against Arsenal over the weekend. Although her side conceded two goals, there could’ve been a few more if she wasn’t on her A-game.
One of Chelsea’s many new recruits this summer, Lucy Bronze was also named in head coach Sonia Bompastor’s starting XI for their opener against Aston Villa. The news of her arrival to London from Barcelona was exciting enough, but it was even better to see how quickly she’s gelled with the rest of the team.
Arsenal’s Jonas Eidevall gave Lotte Wubben-Moy the green light at the back after Leah Williamson was ruled out due to concussion protocol. As usual, the England international looked comfortable and was able to hold back a threatening City frontline on numerous occasions.
Taylor Hinds captained Liverpool during their opening game against Leicester which finished in a 1-1 draw. However, the 25-year-old remained calm and collected, proving she has the ability to not only put on an impressive performance herself, but also lead a team. The fixture also marked the competitive debuts of summer signings Gemma Evans and Olivia Smith.
Midfielders
Jess Park (Man City), Grace Clinton (Man Utd), Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal) and Drew Spence (Spurs)
Drew Spence, Jess Park and Grace Clinton all hit the back of the net for their respective clubs over the weekend.
Park was instrumental in helping Man City take a 2-1 lead over Arsenal in the second half, just before Beth Mead equalised in the 81st minute.
Clinton celebrated her return to Old Trafford with a goal, after spending last season on loan at Tottenham. The 21-year-old’s progress during her time in north London was on full display against West Ham, reinforcing why Marc Skinner was adamant on keeping her.
Spence also added to the scoresheet for Spurs’ 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace. However, despite not getting a goal on her first run-out at the Emirates, Mariona Caldentey proved why she is a force to be reckoned with for Arsenal and we certainly can’t wait to see what magic she creates as the season progresses.
Forwards
Kiko Seike made history over the weekend becoming the first player to ever score a hat-trick on their WSL debut.
The forward hit the back of the net three times during the Seagulls’ first game of the season against Everton at Broadfield Stadium. Newcomer Fran Kirby also scored a penalty.
Elsewhere, Vivianne Miedema got on the scoresheet against former club Arsenal as a Cityzen. She worked succinctly with fellow teammate Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw at the Emirates up front, getting us all very excited to see what that frontline will be able to achieve this season.
