West Ham United Women started the new Women's Super League campaign with a 3-1 away defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Kirsty Hanson scored twice on her Spurs debut to secure the three points for the hosts.
Tottenham took the lead after 18 minutes through Signe Gaupset. Julie Blakstad headed a cross back across goal for Gaupset to finish. The pressure continued, and Kirsty Hanson doubled the advantage on the half-hour mark. Hanson, who joined from Aston Villa in the summer, was the third-highest scorer in the WSL last season. She sealed the win with her second goal 16 minutes from time, leaving West Ham goalkeeper Constance Picaud with little chance.
West Ham manager Rita Guarino named six of her ten summer signings in the starting lineup. The team struggled to create clear chances for much of the contest. Viv Asseyi did manage a consolation goal for the Hammers in second-half stoppage time, but it was too little, too late. Tottenham could have won by a larger margin, with Cathinka Tandberg and Julie Blakstad both missing close-range headed opportunities in the second half.
This result continues a difficult trend for West Ham at the beginning of seasons. Last year, the team lost its opening seven WSL matches, which put them in a deep hole early on. Avoiding such a slow start was a clear priority for Guarino and her rebuilt squad.
The scale of the team's overhaul is significant. With six new faces starting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, cohesion will take time. The club's full squad list shows the blend of experience and new talent that Guarino is working with this campaign.
For Tottenham, this victory represents a strong start as they aim to build on a fifth-place finish last term. That was a major improvement from the season before, when they flirted with relegation. The addition of a proven goalscorer like Kirsty Hanson immediately paid dividends. Her performance underlined why she was a key summer target.
Hanson's movement and finishing were a constant threat. Her first goal came from a well-timed run into the box, while her second was a confident strike from inside the area. Tottenham's attacking play, particularly in wide areas, caused West Ham numerous problems throughout the afternoon.
Rita Guarino's side must now regroup quickly. The focus shifts to preparing for the next challenge and correcting the defensive errors that proved costly in North London. The team will analyze this performance in detail before their next fixture.
West Ham United Women's next match is at home, where they will look to secure their first points of the season. Fans can find the date and opponent for that game on the official fixtures schedule. The team returns to action on Sunday, September 15th.
