Aston Villa 4-3 Manchester City
Much as I take issue with the view that all 0-0 draws are boring, there is always something to be said for a game with this many goals. Aston Villa had never beaten Manchester City until today - indeed, they hadn't even scored against them and had lost all four of their previous matches against them with an aggregate score of 17-0.
Aston Villa have made some good signings over the summer, though Natasha Harding missed out due to injury, while Manchester City lost a lot of big-name players due to retirement and transfers, but I'm not sure anyone quite expected this to happen.
Another new signing, England full-back Rachel Daly, had a bit of a dream debut as a striker. Due to illness, it wasn't even certain that she would play, but she played an important role in three of the four goals. It was her (legal) tackle that won the ball and led to Alisha Lehman's opening goal. Rachel then curled a shot into the top right corner just after the half-hour mark, only for Manchester City to get one back in first-half stoppage time through Laura Coombs (either 'with a bit of help from' or 'despite the efforts of' Villa keeper Hannah Hampton, depending on which report you read).
Manchester City came back into the game with two goals early in the second half. Khadija Shaw scored on 53 minutes, with Laura Coombs on the scoresheet again just two minutes later. It was 2-3 to City, but not for long. Two minutes before the hour, Kenza Dali scored a deflected equaliser and Rachel Daly got the winner in the 76th minute, grabbing the opportunity as City keeper Ellie Roebuck struggled to control the ball.
I hope Rachel won't play quite that well if she's ever up against Wales, but what a debut!
Mary McAteer was on the bench for Aston Villa.
Highlights of the match can be watched here.
Leicester City 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Leicester and Tottenham's match got off to a quiet start with neither team making a shot on goal for the first 18 minutes.
But when the goals started coming, they were on the spectacular side. Ashleigh Neville was the first to find the net, scoring from more than 35 yards out. More chances came after that, with debutante Angharad James setting up many of them from her well-taken corners. Immediately before half-time, Tottenham got their second of the game, with Drew Spence also shooting from distance.
Carrie Jones had a few chances score a debut goal for Leicester in the second half. Her first attempt went over the bar and she had two more shots blocked later on as she worked hard to force an equaliser. Leicester were given a way back into the game when Drew Spence put the ball into her own net, but Leicester were unable to take advantage, though the chances for both sides kept coming.
Josie Green made her debut for Leicester. Another new signing, Ellen Jones, was an unused substitute.
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea
Champions Chelsea lost their opening game of the season to newly-promoted Liverpool in a match in which all the goals were penalties.
Both teams had chances, and Chelsea looked more likely to score in the early stages, but none of the players could make it count from open play. Fran Kirby was the first on the scoresheet when she scored a Chelsea penalty after just three minutes.
Ceri Holland, who played 90 minutes for Liverpool, did well to get into a scoring position a short time afterwards, but her shot was saved. Sam Kerr did put the ball in the net for Chelsea, but it was ruled to be marginally offside, though replays suggest the decision was incorrect.
Chelsea looked the stronger team in the second half, but then Liverpool were awarded a penalty after the ball hit Millie Bright on the arm - a decision which was felt to be harsh. Katie Stengel stepped up to score. Twenty minutes later, she scored from the spot again following a foul. It was Katie's first match in the WSL and she certainly made an impact.
Rhiannon Roberts, who had suffered an injury in the run-up to the game, was able to appear as a 72nd-minute substitute and gave Liverpool some extra energy for the last twenty minutes. Sophie Ingle, who was promoted to the starting line-up at the last minute when Pernille Harder felt discomfort in the warm-up, played 80 minutes for Chelsea.
But it was Liverpool who took the points, in front of a record crowd at Prenton Park.
Highlights can be watched here.
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