West Ham United Women claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over London City Lionesses Women in their FA Women’s Super League meeting at Chigwell Construction Stadium on Saturday, 12 September 2026. In a tense, fast-turning contest under the lights, the Hammers recovered from a second-half equaliser to secure all three points and strengthen their early-season momentum in the WSL table.

The match pitted West Ham’s growing top-half ambitions against a London City Lionesses side eager to prove it belongs at the highest level of the English women’s game. The hosts started with greater control, but the visitors’ resilience turned the fixture into a genuine tactical battle that was not settled until the closing stages.

Match Overview

West Ham United Women lined up in a familiar 4-2-3-1 shape, looking to dominate possession through Katrina Gorry and Dagný Brynjarsdóttir in midfield. London City Lionesses responded with a compact 3-4-3 system, inviting pressure before springing forward through Kosovare Asllani and the pace of their wide runners.

The opening exchanges were played at a high tempo. West Ham pressed aggressively, forcing errors in the Lionesses’ build-up, while London City looked dangerous whenever they could isolate their forwards in transition. The first clear chance fell to the Hammers in the 11th minute, and they made it count moments later.

Key Moments

• 14th minute – West Ham take the lead: Riko Ueki opened the scoring with a composed finish inside the penalty area. After a quick turnover, Viviane Asseyi slipped a clever pass into the channel, and Ueki took one touch before firing low beyond the goalkeeper.
• 38th minute – London City respond: The visitors grew into the half and forced a series of corners. Their best spell was rewarded just before the break when Kosovare Asllani drifted between the lines and curled a precise effort into the far corner to make it 1-1.
• 52nd minute – Hammers pressure builds: West Ham nearly regained the lead when Jess Ziu struck the crossbar from distance after a surging run down the right.
• 67th minute – West Ham win it: The decisive moment arrived when Viviane Asseyi converted from the penalty spot after a handball was given following a VAR review. Asseyi sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to restore West Ham’s advantage.
• 84th minute – Late drama: London City pushed bodies forward and almost equalised through a close-range header, but Mackenzie Arnold produced a sharp reaction save to preserve the win.

Tactical Story

West Ham’s victory was built on control without the ball as much as quality with it. The hosts pressed high in the first half, with Ueki and Asseyi cutting off central passing lanes and forcing London City into long balls. That pressure created the opening goal and set the tone for much of the match.

London City Lionesses adapted well after the break, switching to a more direct approach and targeting the space behind West Ham’s full-backs. Asllani became increasingly influential, dropping deep to link play and then arriving late in the box. Her equaliser was the highlight of a disciplined, intelligent away performance.

In the end, West Ham’s bench and set-piece preparation made the difference. The introduction of fresh legs in wide areas helped them regain territory, and the penalty award gave them the platform to see out the game. London City will feel they deserved more from long spells, but they were undone by two clinical moments.

Standout Players

• Riko Ueki (West Ham United Women): Opened the scoring with a striker’s finish and led the line with relentless movement. Her link-up play with Asseyi caused problems all evening.
• Viviane Asseyi (West Ham United Women): Provided the assist for the first goal and kept her nerve from the penalty spot for the winner. A complete attacking performance.
• Kosovare Asllani (London City Lionesses Women): The visitors’ best player. She equalised with a moment of real class and dictated large periods of the second half.
• Mackenzie Arnold (West Ham United Women): Made three important saves, including the late stop that denied London City a share of the points.
• Katrina Gorry (West Ham United Women): Controlled the tempo in midfield and won possession back repeatedly in the middle third.

FA Women’s Super League Table Impact

The result gives West Ham United Women another valuable three points in the early WSL standings, reinforcing their push to compete in the upper half of the tab