Everton Women 1-0 West Ham United | Hayashi strike seals third win in a row

Goodison Park, 16 February – Everton Women made it three consecutive victories for the first time since March 2022 as Honoka Hayashi’s seventh-minute goal proved enough to edge West Ham United and lift the Toffees into eighth place in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Interim manager Scott Phelan kept faith with the same starting line-up for the third match running, and the gamble paid off with a second straight clean sheet and a performance full of controlled aggression. The breakthrough arrived early: Yuka Momiki picked out Hannah Blundell on the right, the full-back’s low cross evaded the claret-and-blue shirts, and Hayashi – who committed her future to the club only days earlier – swept home her fourth goal of the campaign in front of the jubilant Gwladys Street.

Everton threatened to double the advantage midway through the first half. Inma Gabarro, fresh from scoring the winner against London City Lionesses seven days ago, stung the palms of Kinga Szemik with a ferocious drive that the Polish goalkeeper repelled with an instinctive boot.

West Ham emerged with greater intent after the interval, yet Courtney Brosnan remained largely untroubled thanks to a disciplined back line in which Oona Siren’s forays were repeatedly snuffed out. On 62 minutes Gabarro went close again, elegantly controlling Ornella Vignola’s lofted pass before unleashing a shot that Szemik clawed away at full stretch.

Phelan turned to his bench with 22 minutes remaining, introducing Aurora Galli for Rosa van Gool and handing Slovenian midfielder Zara Kramzar a Goodison debut in place of Vignola. The fresh legs steadied the ship, allowing Everton to see out the closing stages and leapfrog Aston Villa in the table.

The Toffees will now aim to extend their sparkling February form when they travel across Merseyside to face Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round at St Helens on Sunday, 22 February.