Image for Report: Momiki magic helps Everton Women defeat Blues in Subway Players Cup opener
Image for Report: Momiki magic helps Everton Women defeat Blues in Subway Players Cup opener
Blues started their Subway Players Cup campaign with defeat against a strong Everton Women side who were a class above on the night. Goals from Zara Kramžar and a classy finish from Yuka Momiki gave the Toffees the perfect start in the competition.
Amy made eight changes from the side that lost to Chelsea, with Chancelle Effa Effa and Suzu Amano both handed their first starts for Blues.
The first involvement of the game was an Everton substitution, with Issy Hobson replaced by Hannah Blundell.
The first chance came Everton’s way in the sixth minute when Zara Kramžar’s shot was blocked by the Blues defence.
Blues’ first opportunity arrived in the eighth minute when starting debutant Chancelle Effa Effa fired wide of the right-hand post from inside the area.
The other Blues starting debutant, Suzu Amano, went close in the 15th minute. Her left-footed effort from close range was saved by Rylee Foster-Inman and pushed onto the post.
Everton took the lead just two minutes later. Yuka Momiki found Zara Kramžar, whose header beat Lucy Thomas to make it 1-0 to the Toffees.
Everton were beginning to find their groove, and in the 22nd minute Megan Finnigan’s effort towards the bottom-left corner was saved by Thomas.
In the 37th minute, Momiki tried her luck from outside the box, but her effort went wide.
Another Everton opportunity followed in the 39th minute, this time through Maz Pacheco, whose effort narrowly missed the top-right corner.
In the 45th minute, Everton were awarded a free-kick outside the box, but Ornella Vignola put her effort over the bar.
Blues’ best chance of the half came in stoppage time. A quick break saw Veatriki Sarri cross for Wilma Leidhammar, but her effort went wide of the post in the 47th minute.
Blues also had the final opportunity of the half when a corner found the head of Leidhammar, but she could only direct it wide of the left-hand post.
HALF-TIME: EVERTON WOMEN 1-0 BLUES WOMEN
The first real chance of the second half resulted in Everton’s second goal – and what a goal it was.
Rosa van Gool played the ball to Yuka Momiki, who beautifully curled her effort into the top corner beyond Lucy Thomas. A wonderful finish to make it 2-0.
Blues’ first chance of the second half fell to substitute Océane Hurtré, whose effort went over the bar in the 61st minute.
There weren’t many clear-cut opportunities after that, with the game becoming very stop-start.
Everton’s next big opportunity came in the 82nd minute when Hannah Cain’s effort was saved by Thomas.
Three minutes later, Everton threatened again through Momiki, but her effort was also kept out by the Blues goalkeeper.
Blues responded in the 87th minute when another Hurtré effort went past the left-hand post.
In the 89th minute, a Kramžar header was blocked and went behind for an Everton corner.
The final opportunity of the game came in the 92nd minute when another Hurtré effort went wide.
FULL-TIME: EVERTON WOMEN 2-0 BLUES WOMEN
MY THOUGHTS ON THE MATCH
It was a night to forget for Blues. Scott Phelan did a job on us and, although Blues had chances, Everton’s quality shone through – particularly with Momiki’s brilliant second goal.
As I mentioned, Amy made eight changes from the side that lost to Chelsea on Saturday. Personally, I think eight changes in any game of football is far too many to build any sort of rhythm or familiarity within the team.
Hopefully, we learn from this and move on to Sunday’s huge game against Crystal Palace. More importantly, Blues need to find that first win of the season.
It won’t be easy against the Eagles, though, who have become something of a bogey side for us in recent years.
MY PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Momiki gets my Player of the Match for that goal alone – a brilliant piece of skill and technique.
We’re back at home on Sunday for a huge game against Crystal Palace, with kick-off at 2:00pm.