FA WSL Recap & Highlights: Brighton 1-0 Everton Women

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Brighton got the first look on goal in the 16’, but Everton goalkeeper Sandy MacIver got down to the left side to keep the score level.

In the 33’, midfielder Aurora Galli broke free on the left wing and won her side a corner, one of four looks from the corner flag for the Toffees. Captain Izzy Christiansen delivered a swinging ball, but Brighton’s defense cleared the danger.

In the 53’, MacIver made a vital save to deny Brighton yet again, putting the kibosh on a close-range effort.

Less than 10 minutes later, the Seagulls broke the deadlock. Aileen Whelan got the better of Galli at the near post and pounced on a free header that snuck past MacIver.

The final 30 minutes saw Everton fail to convert on four golden opportunities. Brighton’s defense blocked a Christensen volley for the first denial. Claire Emslie ripped a shot inches over the crossbar for the second miss. Valérie Gauvin was the next Evertonian to blast a shot over net. And Emslie failed to convert on a set piece after being taken out by Brighton goalie Megan Walsh outside the box.

Saturday might have been the Blues’ most alarming loss of the season, and that’s including several 4–0 defeats and a 5–1 drubbing. The starting XI against the Gulls was identical to the one that defeated Leicester at the midweek.

Credit to Brighton — currently fourth in the table with a 4–0–2 record — but the frustrations continue to pile up for the Merseyside outfit. On paper, this should have been an Everton win, but the Blues again go home empty-handed.

With just two wins and six goals through six fixtures, new Manager Jean-Luc Vasseur has his work cut out for him. The expectation before the season was Champions League. At this point, though, the Toffees must claw their way back into the division's top half.

Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images

LINEUPS

Everton (4-3-3): 1 Sandy MacIver; 4 Rikke Sevecke, 5 Nathalie Bjorn, 6 Gabby George, 3 Danielle Turner; 8 Izzy Christiansen (C), 22 Aurora Galli, 28 Hanna Bennison; 7 Kenza Dali, 9 Toni Duggan, 19 Anna Anvegard

Substitutes: 11 Claire Emslie for Bennison 60, 13 Valerie Gauvin for Duggan 76, 30 Poppy Pattinson for Turner 89, 17 Lucy Graham for Christiansen 89, 10 Simone Magill for Anvegard 90

Unused Substitutes: 18 Courtney Brosnan, 20 Megan Finnigan, 21 Leonie Maier, 26 Grace Clinton

Goals: N/A

Bookings: George 28

Brighton (5-3-2): 1 Megan Walsh; 2 Emma Koivisto, 6 Maya Le Tissier, 5 Danique Kerkdijk, 20 Victoria Williams capt, 3 Felicity Gibbons; 10 Inessa Kaagman, 8 Megan Connolly, 7 Aileen Whelan; 9 Guemmin Lee,18 Danielle Carter

Substitutes: 16 Ellie Brazil for Kerkdijk 76, 24 Maisie Symonds for Kaagman 83

Unused Substitutes: 25 Frankie Angel, 4 Danielle Bowman, 11 Rinsola Babajide, 12 Libby Bance, 15 Kayleigh Green, 19 Emily Simpkins, 22 Katie Robinson

Goals: Whelan 61

Bookings: Whelan 82, Walsh 90+1

HIGHLIGHTS