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Brighton & Hove Actually Women face Aston Villa Women in the League Cup Quarter Final at the Peoples Pension Stadium |
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It's a damp and misty night at the Broadfield Stadium as The Seagulls face the Villains, booo, in the first knockout stage of the Continental Tyres Cup 🏆. The Seagulls didn't reach this stage of the competition last season but won the group this season. The Villains nearly didn't qualify having fielded an ineligible player in their 7-0 win at Sunderland. They played Noelle Maritz who had played in the Conti Cup for Arsenal. Muppets 🤡. The result was reversed and Sunderland topped the group. Villa finished second above Man Utd on goal difference. The Red Devils 👿 were not happy with that outcome but it's the Villains visiting the Broadfield tonight. This is the Seagulls first home game since the shocking sacking of Mellisa Philips that took all the fans by surprise. Her temporary replacement is Mikey Harris from the youth set up. We thought she was doing well and making steady progress but somebody clearly didn't. They lost the next game away at Utd but that's no surprise. It will be good to see how they react tonight with a home crowd tonight. It's a familiar line up with Pinto in for Bremmer who isn't in the squad. Vee is on the left and Katie on the right. Terri is up front. We signed a new striker just before Melissa left, Taylor Smith, not Swift, but no sign of her tonight. Poppy flow is left back again, she looked much better last time out, and Emma is on the right. There are a few big internationals in the Villa team. Dutch keeper Daphne van Domselaar makes a start as does midfield team mate Kenza Dali. We have seen Van Domselaar before when she was in goal as the Netherlands battled the Lionesses at Wembley in December. Scotland is represented by the talents of Corsie in defence and Hanson up front. Remember how good Hanson is from Sunderland. Lionesses Jordan Nobbs and Ebony Salmon are in the 11 but there is no sign of Rachel Daly or Lucy Staniforth in the squad. Northern Ireland midfielder Simone Magill gets a start. Canadian Olympics Gold Medal winner Adriana Leon is on the right, up front. Swiss striker, Alisha Lehmann, is on the bench. Other than those, these look easily beatable😄. It's knockout football so it will go to extra time and penalties if the sides can't be separated.
The Seagulls start well and it's fairly open for a while, just without many good chances. The Albion are getting lots of crosses in from Katie and Emma on the right and Vea and Poppy on the left but the visitors are defending well. The lines-person on the far side is awake and flags as Terri runs on the Julia's through ball and puts it in the net anyway on 15. Villa are attacking the South Stand and the lines-person in front of us missed a couple of off-sides from the attacking Villains🤷♀️. Brighton are taking some control and take the lead on 35 through a fantastic Vea Sarri left footed strike from outside the box ⚽. Van Domselaar couldn't stop that. The Villains are starting to earn their name though, with them starting to roll around like West Ham players. Jordan Nobbs is quiet 🤫 considering she scored a hattrick last time she was here. Hope she stays that way. The Seagulls retain their narrow lead into the break.
There are no changes at half time. The Villians, pantomime Villians more like with all their diving and dramatics, are more organised and Jordan Nobbs is in the 6 roll, making it all tick. The Seagulls are soaking up a lot of pressure and Sophie has to make some fantastic saves. The Villains bundle it across the line from a free kick that shouldn't have been but it's flagged offside. Phew. At-least one of the officials is still watching the game. They get the reward for their pressure on 69 when a cross is headed home. Boo. Mikey makes some changes and Lee comes on for Vea. Carabali come on for Poppy and they go to 3 at the back with Jorelyn goes to the right of the three and Emma goes left wingback. Lee ♥ makes a difference out on the left wing. She has the best chance of the half on 92 as she get into space inside the box but she curls it just wide. It was a great chance and she should have hit the target and won the game but it's not to be. Extra time here we come. Shouldn't be allowed on a school night.
If the result was to be decided on points, the first 15 would have gone to Villa. Plenty of chances but no goals. The second 15 isn't much different. Lee gets a chance but it's saved. On to penalties, then and sensibly it's at the South End where all the fans are.
Brighton go first which is a good sign. Vicky is first up but it's saved ❌️🧤0-0. Sarah Mayling steps up next but it's saved too ❌️🧤0-0. Lee Geum-Min steps up but she misses to the left side❌️0-0 . Adriana Leon score the first spot kick ✅️0-1. Elisabeth 'Terri' Terland hits it down the middle but it's saved ❌️🧤 0-1. Rachel Corsie has hers saved by Sophie in the bottom corner ❌️🧤0-1. Julia 'Zigiotti' Olme is another victim of a Van Domselaar save ❌️🧤0-1. Anna Patten sticks it in the bottom corner of the net to win the shootout ✅️0-2. Eight penalties taken and only two scored.
So the Seagulls are concentrating on the league, and the FA Cup with Wolves away next weekend in the 5th round. By strange coincidence, Brighton men have drawn Wolves away in the Emirates FA Cup 5th round. Hope they both have success in the West Midlands. It was a good game to watch and we had a good laugh watching the antics of the pantomime Villains. One attacking Villa player, rather than keep running, she stuck her arm out behind her and grabbed the chasing defender before diving. Of course the ref gave it as she did for the rest of their antics. Brighton played well up to attacking the goal when ideas seemed to run out. They were getting crosses in from the by-line but they weren't being met. The progress started under Melissa seems to be continuing but we were very sad to see her go. It hard to get behind the team when a manager that you liked and was doing well is suddenly gone but you can't take it out on the players as it's not their fault and are they probably as shocked and saddened as we are. The penalty shoot-out was very strange with so many being saved. It would be normal to call for the head of the manager to go after such as bad show of penalty taking but it was a bit too late for that. Still should have practiced penalties though.
POTM: It's a difficult one as so many played well. It could be Vea for the goal, Julia was so busy all over the pitch, Poppy had her best game and Lee made a difference when she came on. It eventually goes to Sophie 🏅 for keeping the game level and getting as us far as pens.
The ref wasn't up to much (again, where do they find them) and neither was the linesperson on our side. The ref fell for the antics of the opponents, however theatrical they were. Don't think our lino made a single decision.
Scranometer loves it here. No Pizza today but pie and chips went down well. The rainbow roll 🌈 gets a colourful 7.5 and the chips in skins 🍟here are great and get 8.5.
More cup 🏆action with Newhaven up next.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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| Cup football under the lights |
