Everton 2-0 West Ham: Toffees claim first home win of season

Martina Piemonte and Aurora Galli scored in the final seven minutes to ease Everton's Women's Super League relegation worries with a 2-0 win over West Ham.

Italy forward Piemonte, on as a substitute, broke the deadlock when she beat goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold to get a glancing header to compatriot Galli’s free-kick in the 83rd minute.

Just three minutes later, Galli scored the second herself from a Piemonte pass as she cut in from the right and floated an angled shot beyond Arnold into the top corner.

Defeat checked West Ham’s progress after victories over Bristol City and Arsenal in their previous two league matches and left them level on points with second-bottom Brighton.

For Everton, a first home victory in any competition since last May was a huge relief. 

But there was concern in stoppage time as substitute Karoline Olesen was injured making a tackle and was given oxygen before being taken off on a stretcher.

Prior to the late drama, both sides had struggled to create clear openings, with West Ham's Riko Ueki going closest in the first half.

The Japan forward took on Katrina Gorry's pass two minutes before the interval, cut in from the right past home defender Elise Stenevik and angled a shot just beyond goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan's far post.

Everton, seeking to build on last Sunday’s 7-1 FA Cup victory at third-tier Nottingham Forest, had survived an eighth-minute scare. 

West Ham's leading scorer Viviane Asseyi appeared to hook the ball over the line as Brosnan missed a low cross from Kirsty Smith following a short corner but the flag had gone up for offside.

For the home side, Lucy Hope almost managed to get on the end of a through pass from Heather Payne in the 11th minute, only for Smith to make the tackle. 

From the resulting corner, delivered by Stenevik, Hope hooked goalwards while on the ground, with the ball looping into Arnold's hands.

Katja Snoeijs threatened on the half-hour mark but could not loft a shot over Arnold on reaching Hope's through pass before defender Hawa Cissoko.

Ueki looked West Ham's greatest threat, with a dangerous cross that centre-back Justine Vanhaevermaet cleared from inside the six-yard box early in the second half, but was replaced in the 52nd minute.

Everton were almost gifted a goal with 19 minutes remaining as a sloppy kick by Arnold went straight to Snoeijs. However. Rikke Madsen was unable to control the through pass.

Everton boss Brian Sorensen sent on Piemonte in an attempt to force a first home win of the season — and it paid off as she and Galli struck late on.