West Ham United Women wrapped up their pre-season schedule with a goalless draw against Aston Villa at Keys Park on Saturday. The friendly, which served as the final tune-up before the Barclays Women’s Super League season begins, saw both sides create chances but fail to find a breakthrough.
The Hammers started with Constance Picaud-Inconnu in goal behind a back line of Yu Endo, Laia Codina, and Lucy Cascarino. Nadine Riesen and Katie Zelem anchored the midfield, supporting an attacking trio of Siren Ueki, Katie Salmon, and Kelly Gago, with Viviane Asseyi leading the line. The Villans, managed by Rita Guarino, fielded a strong side including Parker, Harviken, and Maritz in defence, with Amalie Vangsgaard and Lily Murphy among their attacking threats.
The first half saw West Ham create several promising opportunities. Katie Zelem, a key figure in midfield, played a clever pass to release Kelly Gago, but her shot was well saved by Villa defender Anna Patten. Viviane Asseyi also tested the opposition, forcing a save from goalkeeper Akane Okuma after a Zelem free-kick. Laia Codina headed wide from a corner, while Yu Endo saw an effort saved following a cross from Nadine Riesen. At the other end, Amalie Vangsgaard had a shot blocked by Codina just before the interval.
Aston Villa came out stronger after the break. Their manager, Rita Guarino, said her team "carried out the better opportunities and looked the team more likely to break the deadlock." Buoyed by a half-time teamtalk, the Villans started the second half on the front foot and drew an early save from Constance Picaud-Inconnu, who got down well to thwart Lily Murphy. Siren Ueki came closest for the Hammers, striking the crossbar with a powerful long-range effort. In stoppage time, Picaud-Inconnu was called into action again to deny Lucia Kendall and preserve the clean sheet.
This match concludes a full pre-season programme for West Ham United Women as they build towards the 2026/27 WSL campaign. The squad has been working on fitness and tactical cohesion under manager Natalia Arroyo. Key players like Katie Zelem and Viviane Asseyi are integral to the team's attacking plans, while new signings are expected to compete for places. Fans can track the team's progress and view the full schedule on our fixtures page.
Looking at the broader squad, several players are entering important phases of their contracts. The core group has been retained, with a focus on building stability. Supporters can review the complete roster and player details on our squad page to see how the team is shaping up for the challenges ahead.
The focus now shifts immediately to the competitive action. West Ham United Women will open their Barclays Women’s Super League season at home against Tottenham Hotspur next weekend. This London derby presents a significant early test and an opportunity to start the campaign with a positive result. Preparation during the week will be fine-tuned based on the lessons learned from the Villa friendly.
Manager Natalia Arroyo will have decisions to make regarding her starting eleven, weighing the performances from pre-season. The team showed defensive solidity against Villa, a positive sign, but will look to sharpen their finishing in the final third. The opening match against Tottenham is scheduled for Sunday, September 6th, 2026.
