Here’s Louise Taylor’s report.
Vilde Bøe Risa, the goalscorer and player of the match, speaks.
The keeper made a load of good saves but finally I got the goal. This was an important game for us and we have a busy week coming up. We just to need to work harder because this is how we want to play.
Live table: that moves United up to fifth, and West Ham are currently beating Everton.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal Women | 8 | 23 | 22 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 9 | 21 | 21 |
| 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 9 | 3 | 15 |
| 4 | West Ham Women | 9 | 2 | 15 |
| 5 | Man Utd Women | 9 | 1 | 15 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 8 | 3 | 14 |
| 7 | Reading Women | 9 | -1 | 13 |
| 8 | Man City Women | 9 | 0 | 11 |
| 9 | Everton Women | 9 | -7 | 10 |
| 10 | Aston Villa Women | 8 | -10 | 10 |
| 11 | Birmingham City Women | 9 | -19 | 2 |
| 12 | Leicester Women | 8 | -16 | 0 |
Full-time: Brighton 0-2 Manchester United
Brighton’s good run is coming to its end. And perhaps United have found a way to win. They eventually took the chances they created all game with Ladd and Boa Risa both scoring fine goals.
90+4 min: Brighton pinned back, with little chance of finding the goal that could ignite this match.
90+2 min: Hannah Blundell holds the ball in the corner, on the instruction of her manager.
90+1 min: A rather unnecessary five minutes added on. There have been a couple of knocks but this game is done. Trust me on this.
90 min: United finishing the game as they have played most of it, on the attack. Toone forces a fine save from the excellent Walsh.
88 min: Another Victoria Williams foul, but not much of one, as Toone goes down. The free-kick, taken by Toone, leads to Ladd smashing over the bar.
87 min: Toone swing at the ball as it breaks in the Brighton box, but her shot is blocked.
86 min: Brighton sub: off goes Brazil, and on comes Symonds.
85 min: United sub: off goes Russo, who had a good game and on comes Thomas. Victoria Williams meanwhile puts in one of those characteristic blocks to halt Dalton.
83 min: Connolly takes a free-kick for Brighton that doesn’t beat the first defender. The use of the dead ball has been a tad under par from Hope Powell’s team.
82 min: United sub, on comes Galton for scorer Boe Risa.
80 min: And with that, Williams picks up the game’s first booking, smashing into Russo. That was a tired challenge.
79 min: Williams continues to limp around, but she’s not one for turning it in. And what would Brighton’s defence be without her?
77 min: Williams took a hell of a whack from that Zelem smasher, and goes down. Hers has been a performance of real bravery.
75 min: United queuing up to shoot after a corner, with Walsh making a couple of saves, with Zelem pinging in one of them. Brighton struggling to get out of their area.
74 min: Russo makes a neat turn and shoots. United continue to push for another but Williams comes across to block. She’s been outstanding.
72 min: Brighton sub, on comes Robinson for Bance, who made her debut today.
71 min: Brighton go down the other end and force another save from Earps, who has a good game when called upon.
Goal! Brighton 0-2 Manchester United (Boe Risa, 69)
Batlle’s pass from the right flank and Boe Risa steals in to convert from close range. A nice finish and her first ever goal for United.
Updated
68 min: It’s pretty bitty, this game. And with a busy week ahead for both teams, it does seem as energy is being conserved.
66 min: Mary Earps excellent again as Le Tissier’s cross is aimed into the heart of the United goalmouth. Earps climbs highest and most bravely.
65 min: United need to keep their concentration themselves; as their manager said in pre-match, that’s what’s kept them back this season.
63 min: Chance for United to launch a free-kick into the Brighton box. It’s well cleared. Brighton are good at defending the aerial ball. Their concentration has broken only once, for the goal.
61 min: A break in play as Earps is attended to. That save came at a cost for the England keeper.
59 min: Oof, a Brighton chance, and a bruising one. Le Tissier hits it in, Williams chases in and Earps comes across to claim the ball. That’s very brave.
58 min: United playing the ball around and the Brighton attackers are trying their best to push up and press. They do seem a little tired. And a sub is made Kerkdijk is removed, and on comes Bowman, a midfielder, to become a defensive stand-in.
56 min: More United pressure. Brighton spill the ball, and Boa Risa’s shot is saved, and then the ball comes to Toome who smashes it high and not so handsome.
54 min: United chance! Staniforth lays up Boa Risa, who smashes a low shot that Walsh saves well. United continuing to create chances where Brighton are failing to do so.
53 min: Long throw launched by Le Tissier, and there’s a claim for a handball off United’s Williams but nothing doing there.
52 min: Kerkdijk looks to be OK to continue. It’s been an occasionally bruising encounter, this one.
51 min: Kerkdijk is down for Brighton, she took a bit of a knock in a battle with Toone.
49 min: It’s a slowish start, with Brighton still yet to force their way into the match. Toome loops a ball into the Brighton box, and it’s hacked away. Toome has been impressive once more.
47 min: United start the half as they ended it, they are on the attack. Carter is expected to provide the out-ball for Brighton’s attack.
46 min: We are back under way and there’s been a sub made by Brighton. Off goes Gibbons and on comes Danielle Carter.
Half-time: Brighton 0-1 Manchester United
The pressure finally told for United who dominated, and Brighton’s defending finally gave way.
Goal! Brighton 0-1 Manchester United (Ladd, 45+1)
There’s been two minutes added on. Batlle slots the ball across goal, and Ladd, with a neat piece of improv deflects the ball home. Brighton’s previous good work undone by lax defending of a set piece.
Updated
45 min: United launch it long to the right, and then Staniforth pulls up. A hamstring? It looks like it, and she is limping. Or did she take a kick to the heel?
43 min: United really dominating possession, and Stanifoth loops the ball to the back post, and Toone shoots, but only straight at Walsh.
41 min: Brighton defending well but don’t have anyone up front to relieve the pressure when it’s cleared.
39 min: Zelem has a dig from distance and it spinnakers wide. United lacking quality in attack here. So many chances to make a breakthrough, none of it taken so far.
38 min: More United pressure, and they look to be queueing up to score, while Brighton are back deep in numbers.
36 min: Long shot from Boa Risa, and she wallops the ball at goal. Walsh, freshly recovered, makes a low save. She’s been far busier than Mary Earps.
34 min: Hope Powell has a Sam Allardyce/Phil Brown-style headset on, and is urging her team on.
32 min: Brighton free-kick, and Gibbons will take again from the left-hand side. It briefly threatens to drift into the goal, only to waft behind. Another wasteful set piece.
30 min: A break in play as Brighton keeper Walsh is down injured. It looks to be a problem with her foot. Hope Powell uses the time to get out her tactics board.
28 min: It’s all United but Brighton remain well-organised in defence, and even go on the break, with a chance for Ellie Brazil to speed forward, but she runs out of support.
25 min: Great chance for Boa Risa, as she escapes down the right. She’s sent a bit too wide and forces another save from Walsh. United knocking on the door far more firmly.
23 min: Staniforth with just the Brighton goalie to beat? Nope, an offside. It was pretty close.
21 min: Brighton launch a free-kick into the United box, and it’s launched back out. Russo is baulked as he attempts to hold it up, then sets up a chance that Brighton’s Williams, who has been excellent, comes across to block.
19 min: Russo smashes a shot over. Building United pressure? No, it goes down the other end. Le Tissier loops in a ball begging to be hit but there’s nobody quite close enough.
18 min: United try a slow buildup. Brighton are well organised but Staniforth and Toone make inroads. The ball comes back out to Ladd, who has a swing but she doesn’t quite catch it with enough venom.
16 min: Gibbons forces a corner for Brighton. They wanted a handball but that would have been harsh on the United defender. Gibbons takes it herself and Millie Turner clear. The rebound is hoofed into the icy streets of Crawley.
14 min: Aside from that Boe Rise double chance, it’s been short of clear chances. A few potshots flying in.
11 min: There is a minute’s applause for Izzy Humphrey, the 10-year-old who died this year, and was named fan of the season last season.
Some information here.
Albion are devastated to learn that our current fan of the season, Izzy Humphrey, has passed away.
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) December 2, 2021
Izzy loved watching us and @BHAFCWomen and we will miss her infectious smile at our matches.
Our hearts go out to mum Nat, sister Demi and brother Bobby. Rest in peace Izzy. https://t.co/N52O6H2gqC
9 min: Ella Toone, such a star for England, gets the ball out to the left, scampering on, and her pass into the middle is hacked clear.
7 min: Katie Zelem, typically, is in the thick of things for United. Both teams struggling to maintain possession for any length of time or to be able to supply the killer pass.
5 min: A United mistake lets in Brighton and Ellie Brazil escapes down the flank, only to loop her pass into the grateful arms of Mary Earps.
4 min: A spell of decent Brighton possession, with Marc Skinner asking his team to win the ball back.
2 min: Early chance for United. The ball comes in from the left and Boe Rise gets two bites of the cherry, but Brighton goalie Megan Walsh makes two smart saves. United may fancy they should have scored that.
1 min: The knee is taken and away we go with United taking the kick-off. They exert some early pressure.
Real warmth between Hope Powell and Marc Skinner ahead of the match. Great read on Hope Powell here. Today is Rainbow Laces.
The players take to the field and it’s a raucous crowd that greets them. Lots of old-school Manchester United fans singing lustily and cheering all the players mentioned in the lineups. Old-school indeed.
The United manager Marc Skinner speaks.
It’s three points, if we win we go level with Brighton. It’s a big game in that respect. We have to do everything in our power to control the game.
We are almost live in Crawley.
1⃣5⃣ minutes until KO! 🏃 #BHAFC pic.twitter.com/osiAqjzJDe
— Brighton & Hove Albion Women (@BHAFCWomen) December 12, 2021
The United players are on the South Coast.
📸 On location.#MUWomen | #FAWSL pic.twitter.com/UbOO4BKppt
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) December 12, 2021
Some pre-match reading, a big shock yesterday.
And Suzanne Wrack on Clapton’s women’s team.
Some quotes from Hope Powell, again courtesy of Brighton’s website.
We lost our last two games before the international break and then a lot of players went away on international duty which was really good experience for them. But we’ve had a bit of time to recover since then.
Against Reading in our last game, I thought we played quite well, especially in the second half. It will be good to get going again. We know United pose a real threat, but we’ll go into the game with some confidence.
Some stats, courtesy of the Brighton website:
- Following their 1-0 win over United in April, Albion are looking to win consecutive FA WSL matches against them for the first time.
- Albion have won seven of their last nine home FA Women’s Super League matches (L2), keeping five clean sheets.
- United are winless in four FA WSL matches (D3 L1) – before this run, they had never gone more than two games without a win in the WSL.
Here's the teams
TEAM! 💙 Here’s how we line-up against @ManUtdWomen today. 📝
— Brighton & Hove Albion Women (@BHAFCWomen) December 12, 2021
📲 https://t.co/1JRqX8gtVj ✘ #BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/kgJWvDC1Fs
🔴 Your 1️⃣1️⃣ Reds to take on Brighton 👊#MUWomen | #FAWSL pic.twitter.com/YepPdHobZZ
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) December 12, 2021
Preamble
What a season it’s been for Hope Powell’s Brighton. While the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United have languished, Brighton have stepped into the gap, and can close the gap on second-placed Chelsea if they beat United today. United are coming off an FA Cup defeat to Leicester and being well beaten by Arsenal in the WSL. United have three matches in seven days coming up, while Brighton are hoping to revive themselves after losing to Reading last time out. They similarly have a busy week ahead, but it all starts here.
Kick-off is at 12.30pm. Join me.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal Women | 8 | 23 | 22 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 9 | 21 | 21 |
| 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 8 | 5 | 15 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 8 | 3 | 14 |
| 5 | Reading Women | 9 | -1 | 13 |
| 6 | West Ham Women | 8 | 1 | 12 |
| 7 | Man Utd Women | 8 | -1 | 12 |
| 8 | Man City Women | 8 | 0 | 10 |
| 9 | Everton Women | 8 | -6 | 10 |
| 10 | Aston Villa Women | 8 | -10 | 10 |
| 11 | Birmingham City Women | 8 | -19 | 1 |
| 12 | Leicester Women | 8 | -16 | 0 |
