In the first meeting between the two sides since the 2019/2020 season, Crystal Palace hosted Brighton & Hove Albion today in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
Crystal Palace have experienced a difficult start to their maiden WSL campaign; a 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the opening weekend was followed by a heavy 7-0 defeat to reigning champions Chelsea. However, Laura Kaminski’s side secured their first points of the season last weekend, when they travelled away to Leicester City and Annabel Blanchard broke the deadlock before doubling the lead from the penalty spot to wrap up Palace’s first-ever WSL victory.
As for Brighton, the Seagulls were hoping to claim their first WSL away victory since beating Leicester City in March. Brighton have started the season in tremendous fashion, kicking off their campaign with a commanding 4-0 win over Everton, before showing immense character in the mere 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, whilst last weekend saw them bounce-back with a comfortable 4-2 victory over Aston Villa credit to four different goalscorers.
Both sides came into today’s clash looking to build on the momentum they have built in the early stages of their campaigns. Today’s narrow score line saw Brighton & Hove Albion take the three points, but both teams showed immense character and proved that there is still work to be done as they continue to find their feet.
The Lineups
CRY: Yanez,; Veje, Gibbons, Cato, Everett, Blanchard, Green, Potter, Riley, Gejl, Stengel
BRI: Baggaley; Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Losada, Bremer, Parris, Cankovic, Kirby, Carbali, Olisagers, Bruna
The Action
It was a cagey first half in which both sides struggled to find their momentum. Brighton largely dominated possession whilst Crystal Palace looked most threatening on the counterattack. Although nothing came of it in the early stages, both sides found opportunities in exploiting the wide areas – Palace found joy on the right, most often with Stengel, whilst Brighton found theirs on the left largely with Bremer.
For the most part, it was the indecision in Brighton’s attack that left them exposed. Blanchard found acres of space on the right flank, but fortunately for the Seagulls, Bergsvand was there to close her down and her cross failed to find the intended target. It didn’t take long for Palace to try the same trick again, as a lovely run infield by Stengel found Blanchard in the same space, but this time her advances were forced away from goal.
A cross to Bremer on the left was almost identical to the one seen in the opening minutes of the game, but this time found her in a more favourable position. Josie Green could sense the potential repercussions of this attack and gave away a free kick following a shirt pull just outside the box. The poor cross by Losada saw possession swiftly overturned but Blanchard fail to hold her run and the offside flag halted any chance for Palace to capitalise.
Despite flurries of life in the Brighton penalty box, a lack of bravery shown by the side saw no one willing to take the shot on, and instead the ball returned to their own defensive half having never troubled Yanez.
Palace had equal promise in their own penalty area, as the ball found Stengel at the back post. Her failure to take the shot first time meant her strike deflected wide. The subsequent corner was taken short before the eventual cross ricocheted off the Brighton wall, going out for a second corner which did nothing to trouble Baggaley, who came with a confident punch, before Vilamala cleared.
It was a moment of controversy that changed the game as a ball fired goal-bound saw Yanez come to claim, but her failure to convincingly do so saw Palace players appeal for a foul as the ball landed at the feet of Vilamala who tapped the play home into an empty net.
The goal saw a shift in momentum that originated with a Palace response, before succumbing to a buoyed-up Brighton looking to double their lead. Shortly after the restart Stengel went alone on the right, getting the better of Bergsvand and gaining ground inside the penalty box, but with no support on offer she had no other option than to sky the ball over the crossbar.
As the second half commenced, a sublime run by Josie Green down the right flank saw her impatient cross deflected straight back to her. Her second attempt came in the form of a lovely through ball that found Blanchard who was unable to direct her shot goal-bound and instead saw it curl wide.
There was end-to-end controversy as the half progressed, firstly as Brighton attempted to play out from the back, a high press from Palace saw huge calls for handball in the penalty area but Brighton escaped as the calls were waved away. Parris went toppling inside the 18-yard box at the other end as Brighton themselves appealed for a penalty, but instead the corner was given, and Symonds could do no more than curl the ball into the side netting.
A cheap giveaway in midfield then saw Parris collect and free Sieke who tried to play a one-two but saw Parris overstretched. The ball ended up in the path of Losada who saw her long range effort soar over the crossbar. It was young gun Agyemang who ran clear following a pinpoint pass by Carabale, but a well-timed last-ditch tackle by captain Everitt prevented Agyemang having any real chance at goal.
A sense of urgency by Palace in the closing stages saw Stengel unlucky to have a goal kick awarded against her as her shirt was pulled by Bergsvand, who she arguably had the better of on the goal line.
Brighton tried to put the game to bed on numerous occasions. A lovely one-two between Agyemang and Losada saw Agyemang unmarked on the left of the box where she took a right footed shot that just evaded the net. Before an outside-of-the-box attempt by Seike called Yanez into action where she did just enough to see the ball over the bar.
It was the lethal pairing of Stengel and Blanchard again in the dying minutes of the game who combined to see a long range effort require a fingertip save by Baggaley to preserve Brighton’s mere one goal advantage as the game entered stoppage time. The volume intensified inside the VBS Community Stadium as a long ball saw Palace progress up the pitch. Atkinson, with the last play of the game, put too much on the ball as it evaded her drive into the left pocket and went behind as the whistle signified the end of the ninety.
Looking Forward
Crystal Palace are back in action next weekend as they travel north to take on Liverpool at St Helen’s Stadium at 14:00 BST on Sunday.
Brighton & Hove Albion will host Manchester United at the American Express Stadium next Saturday, with proceedings getting underway at 12:30 BST.
