Adriana Leon bags brace against former side West Ham in Aston Villa victory
Adriana Leon’s first-half double helped Aston Villa earn a 3-1 victory over former side West Ham in the Women’s Super League.
The game was Villa’s first WSL clash following the departure of manager Robert De Pauw earlier in the week and interim boss Shaun Goater got off to the perfect start when Canada international Leon put his side ahead four minutes in.
Their strong opening was short-lived after Viviane Asseyi equalised for the Hammers, but Leon completed her brace just before half-time and Kenza Dali struck in the final 10 minutes to put the result beyond doubt and earn Villa’s second league win of the season.
An energetic start to the contest saw West Ham test Villa early on when Sabrina D’Angelo made a low save from Riko Ueki’s shot.
However, the hosts drew first blood in the fourth minute when Leon, on her return to the side, dispossessed the Hammers in midfield and ran to the edge of the box before dispatching a brilliant low strike into the bottom-left corner.
Villa nearly had a second, minutes later, when Rachel Daly scuffed an effort over the crossbar, but West Ham struck next and levelled in the 21st minute when Katrina Gorry floated a brilliant ball to an unmarked Asseyi, who flicked a header past D’Angelo.
The Hammers had the ball in the net 10 minutes before the break when Ueki stabbed home from a dangerous free-kick on the left, but it was ruled out for offside.
Leon bagged her brace in the 43rd minute after pouncing on a great pass from Dali and the forward tucked the ball into the bottom corner as Villa retook the lead.
The visitors had an excellent chance to level minutes in the second half when Seraina Piubel latched onto a well-placed pass from Manuela Pavi, but the midfielder dragged her shot across the face of goal.
Villa were soon on the charge as Lucy Staniforth fired a great volley just past the post from the outside of the box and Dali’s menacing cross was headed clear by the visiting defence.
The Hammers were unable to capitalise on a series of poor clearances in the Villa box as Oona Siren’s shot was blocked before Pavi blasted the ball over the crossbar.
Gorry then forced a fine save from D’Angelo with a powerful effort, while Wast Ham goalkeeper Kinga Szemik was called into action at the other end to deny Leon her hat-trick.
The hosts then suffered a blow when England international Daly was forced off in the last 10 minutes with an injury.
Dali then sealed three points for Villa in the 83rd minute, charging from just inside the West Ham half into the box before smashing the ball home.
