Clare Wheeler was happy Everton Women concluded their season with a win at home after Maz Pacheco’s later winner ensured the 2025/26 campaign would end in victory for the Blues.
The three points claimed confirmed the Toffees eighth placed fisnish in the WSL but the midfielder was more pleased about giving their fans something to cheer in a campaign where Everton played their inaugural season at Goodison Park, a venue where victory has not been the easiest thing to find for Scott Phelan’s team.
Speaking after the game, Wheeler paid tribute to both the Blues faithful as well as the consistency of the lady in between the sticks who has shared the captaincy with the Australian international this season.
> “It’s been really emotional. Obviously, we wanted to finish the season on a high in front of our home fans who have come out and supported us this season,” she said.
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> ”It’s been an up and down season but to finish with three points and on a good note is really good.
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> ”And not only that, Maz scoring the goal and I thought Courtney (Brosnan) had a fantastic game as well.
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> “All in all it was a good way to finish and wrap up this season.”
Aurora Galli, Yuka Momiki and Ornella Vignola were the trio of changes made by Phelan, starting in place of Wheeler, Katja Snoeijs and eventual match winner, Pacheco.
Everton started brightly with Toni Payne the main catalyst, and her lofted cross from the right had to be tipped over the crossbar by Katie Keane inside eight minutes.
The hosts came agonisingly close four minutes later when Momiki’s curled free-kick from 25-yards out whistled inches past the post after Galli was brought down.
At the other end, skipper Brosnan was forced in to a superb save after the Blues’ backline failed to clear Sam Tierney’s corner.
The ball fell to Asmita Ale, whose effort seemed destined to hit the back of the net only for the Toffees’ stopper to somwhow turn the ball around the post with the ball behind her.
The Blues had the final chance of the half, Zara Kramzar’s rifled drive from the edge of the box rattled the upright at the Park End, with many fans up out of their seat and ready to celebrate.
Vignola tested Keane five minutes after the restart and forced a save out of the 19-year-old, but Phelan wanted more and introduced Wheeler, Snoeijs and Melissa Lawley in place of Galli, Kramzar and Payne.
Wheeler’s entrance upped the tempo but the boss was keen for victory and utilised his bench again when Momiki and Honoka Hayashi made way for Kelly Gago and Pacheco with twelve minutes remaining.
But it was Brosnan who was next called into action when she initially misplaced a pass from a goal-kick to a pink shirt, but recovered brilliantly to deny Noemie Mouchon.
Into injury time and with the game level Lawley threaded a ball through to the advancing Ruby Mace on the right-hand side of the Foxes’ box.
And the former Leicester star cut it back to Snoeijs, who diverted the ball in to the anticipating Pacheco and the lifelong Blue fired home from close range to send Goodison Park into celebration as well as sealing all three points on the final day of the WSL season.
Now the league campaign is concluded, attention now turns to the World Sevens tournament later this month.