West Ham 0-2 Manchester City: Jill Roord scores on debut as visitors reduced to 10
Jill Roord scored on her debut to help 10-player Manchester City to a 2-0 victory over West Ham on the first day of the Women's Super League season.
Gareth Taylor's side lacked a goal-scoring edge until Lauren Hemp netted a superb curling strike in the 48th minute.
Club record-signing Roord added City's second after Chloe Kelly had a penalty saved by Mackenzie Arnold.
Leila Ouahabi was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Emma Harries.
However, West Ham couldn't make the most of having an extra player in the final 20 minutes.
Roord makes impact on debut
Gareth Taylor was expected to strengthen his squad in the summer transfer window after a disappointing end to last season that saw his side miss out on the third and final Champions League spot.
Roord, who arrived from Wolfsburg, and Jess Park, who returned from her season-long loan at Everton, were the club's only additions.
Netherlands international Roord, who joined on a three-year deal for a fee in excess of £300,000, was involved from the start and efficient in City's build-up play but she misjudged a lob over Arnold to squander the best chance of the opening half.
Hemp had been denied by Arnold before the before the break but the Hammers goalkeeper had no chance as Hemp's effort from the edge of the area nestled itself into the top left corner of the net.
Despite her penalty triumphs for England at recent major tournaments, Kelly was off the mark this time around as her stuttered run-up failed to trick the Australian keeper, who palmed the strike out for a corner.
City's disappointment was short lived as Roord, in a moment of brilliance, darted in and out of the West Ham defence before calmly lifting the ball over Arnold to complete the scoreline.
The 26-year-old new signing, who is entering her second spell in the WSL having spent two years at Arsenal, received a warm reception from the travelling City fans when she was substituted for Filippa Angeldal in the 89th minute.
Skinner begins West Ham reign with defeat
The decision to appointment Rehanne Skinner as Paul Konchesky's replacement was one that may not have been widely welcomed by West Ham fans.
Skinner, who was sacked by relegation-threatened Tottenham in March, has now lost her last 10 matches as a WSL boss.
The Hammers' impressive defensive efforts in the first half came undone when they failed to close down Hemp before she unleashed a strike to open the scoring and they looked equally as helpless when Roord waltzed through to double the visitors' lead.
There will be concerns about the club's new number nine, Riko Ueki - West Ham's only bright spark in the attacking third - after the Japan forward limped off injured before the 60-minute mark and was replaced by Harries.
Line-ups
West Ham Women
Formation 5-3-2
1Arnold
7Evans3Shimizu23Cissoko21Cooke2Smith
4Stringer17Filis19Hayashi
9Ueki20Asseyi
- 1Arnold
- 7Evans
- 3Shimizu
- 23CissokoBooked at 90mins
- 21Cooke
- 2Smith
- 4StringerSubstituted forDentonat 76'minutes
- 17FilisSubstituted forFlanneryat 76'minutes
- 19Hayashi
- 9UekiSubstituted forHarriesat 60'minutes
- 20Asseyi
Substitutes
- 11Atkinson
- 12Harries
- 16Ziu
- 18Denton
- 25Walsh
- 35Ademiluyi
- 41Flannery
Man City Women
Formation 4-3-3
35Keating
4Aleixandri33Kennedy5Greenwood15Ouahabi
10Castellanos25Hasegawa20Roord
9Kelly11Hemp8Fowler
- 35Keating
- 4Aleixandri
- 33Kennedy
- 5Greenwood
- 15OuahabiBooked at 71mins
- 10CastellanosBooked at 16minsSubstituted forBlakstadat 83'minutes
- 25Hasegawa
- 20RoordSubstituted forAngeldahlat 89'minutes
- 9KellySubstituted forCasparijat 76'minutes
- 11Hemp
- 8Fowler
Substitutes
- 1Roebuck
- 6Houghton
- 7Coombs
- 12Angeldahl
- 14Morgan
- 16Park
- 18Casparij
- 30Mace
- 41Blakstad
Referee:Abigail Byrne
Attendance:1,360
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, West Ham United Women 0, Manchester City Women 2.
Second Half ends, West Ham United Women 0, Manchester City Women 2.
Offside, Manchester City Women. Julie Blakstad tries a through ball, but Lauren Hemp is caught offside.
Hawa Cissoko (West Ham United Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Hawa Cissoko (West Ham United Women).
Attempt saved. Filippa Angeldahl (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Laia Aleixandri.
Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City Women) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Anouk Denton (West Ham United Women).
Attempt blocked. Lisa Evans (West Ham United Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Viviane Asseyi.
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Filippa Angeldahl replaces Jill Roord.
Attempt missed. Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Yui Hasegawa.
Attempt missed. Viviane Asseyi (West Ham United Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Risa Shimizu.
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Julie Blakstad replaces Deyna Castellanos.
Alex Greenwood (Manchester City Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Keira Flannery (West Ham United Women).
Substitution, West Ham United Women. Anouk Denton replaces Abbey-Leigh Stringer.
Substitution, West Ham United Women. Keira Flannery replaces Mel Filis.
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Kerstin Casparij replaces Chloe Kelly.
Attempt missed. Emma Harries (West Ham United Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Lisa Evans with a cross.
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