REPUBLIC OF IRELAND goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan savoured a “massive” result after Everton ended Chelsea’s 34-game unbeaten run in the Women’s Super League yesterday.
Brosnan starred as Everton stunned the seven in-a-row champions at Kingsmeadow.
Honoka Hayashi’s 12-minute goal was the difference as the Toffees won 1-0. They were third from bottom, with just five points from nine games and without a win since September, before this.
Having recently returned from a knee injury, Brosnan made a string of brilliant saves and kept a clean sheet to help end a 585-day unbeaten streak.
🐐 Clean sheet, three points, Player of the Match award.
💙 Courtney Brosnan! pic.twitter.com/AxOfk6Vnp4
— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) December 7, 2025
“I’m so happy, so proud of the team,” Brosnan, who was named Player of the Match, reflected afterwards.
“We knew it was going to be tough today but I think everyone put in a massive shift. This is massive for us to get a win obviously against Chelsea and I’m just so proud of the team.
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“The whole team deserves this (Player of the Match) award. Everyone put their bodies on the line and did everything that they could to get this result. It was a massive team effort.
“We know the quality that Chelsea have, they’re an unbelievable team and they have been for quite some time, but I’m very proud of us to step up today and get a result against them, it means a lot to us.”
💙 Courtney's pride.
🎟️ Back the Blues against Arsenal at Goodison Park on Saturday (12pm GMT) - https://t.co/QqLKEAEBf3 pic.twitter.com/sJKa8oopH4
— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) December 7, 2025
Manager Brian Sørensen hailed Brosnan as “different level” in his post-match interview.
“That was defensive discipline, great heart and determination from the girls — everything we want to see from them,” said the Danish boss.
“I’m so proud of them, I’m so happy for them because we had so much adversity at the start of the season. That was just the second time we could put the same starting line-up out, and they were so good.
“It feels unreal, it’s a while since Chelsea were beaten, but also at their home ground. We had a plan that we executed to a tee.”
Yesterday was a memorable day for another Irish international as Saoirse Noonan scored four first-half goals for Celtic.
The Cork striker completed a hat-trick within 25 minutes, and added another just before the break in a 14-0 win over Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Women’s Cup.