Brighton 5 Charlton 1
Charlton lost 5-1 to Brighton before the international break, continuing the winless run in the WSL.
It all started so well for the Addicks, who scored after only two minutes. Heading down the left, Jodie Hutton swung a low ball in that Cassandra Korhonen met on the volley. Chiamaka Nnadozie saved the initial shot, but Korhonen followed in to lift the rebound over her and get Charlton off to the bets possibly start.
It was Korhonen’s first goal for the club and Charlton’s second goal in the league, coming from the third shot on target this season.
Brighton grew into the game after the goal, with a high press causing problems for the Addicks defence. The Seagulls were kept to half chances until the 18th minute Brighton got their first clear chance on goal.
A cross in found Oliva Garcia just outside the six-yard box. Her header down was poked at goal by Olaug Tvedten, but the ball was stopped by Elisha N’Dow on the line to deny a certain goal.
Ventures into the opposition half were at a premium for Charlton, with Brighton controlling a lot of possession. The chances kept coming for the hosts, and eventually it told, as Garcia broke into the box and sent in a low cross that was met at the back post by Kiko Seike, tapping into an open net.
Brighton eventually got their second in similar fashion, with Garcia picking up the ball in the box, driving to the line and crossing across the face of goal, finding Fran Kirby on the stretch to toe the ball into the net.
The second half started much the way the first half ended, with Brighton having the majority of the ball. Their dominance on the ball became more apparent on the scoresheet too, when Seike got her second of the afternoon, as she placed a first-time shot into the side of the net, following a blocked Tvedten shot.
After the goal, Karen Hills opted for some changes, with Gloria Siber and Gillian Kenney coming on, before later bringing Ellie Mason and Katie Lockwood into the mix. The changes brought extra energy but not more goals for the Addicks.
It was, in fact, Brighton who managed to find another goal in the second minute of additional time when a corner evaded everyone and made its way through a crowd, finding Garcia there on the line to make sure it went in.
There was still time for Brighton to get another, this coming from another corner as Gabby George nodded in a ball that was kept alive.
The game brought to an end the first block of Charlton’s time in the WSL. The team now have time to regroup over the international break before returning to The Valley on October 18th to face Manchester United.
Brighton: Nnadozie, George, Vanegas, Hayes, Garcia, Cankovic (Olislagers 60), Wälti, Symonds, Tvedten, Kirby, Seike
Subs (not used): Loeck, Heeps, Mpome, Joramo, Tayner, Auee, Peskett, Murphy
Goals: Seike 24, 54; Kirby 45+1, Garcia 90+2, George 90+3
Assists: Garcia 24, Symonds 45+1, Olislagers 90+2, Hayes 90+8
Bookings: Tvedten 71 (foul)
Charlton: Whitehouse; Neville (Siber 55), N’Dow, Cissoko (Mason 75), Lobato; Flannery, Van Egmond (Lockwood 75); Davidson, Korhonen (Kenney 55), Hutton; Azzaro
Subs (not used): Koivunen, Robe, Humphrey, Waldie
Goals: Korhonen 3
Assists: Hutton 3
Bookings: Neville 46 (foul), Siber 62 (foul), N’Dow 80 (foul)
Referee: Adewunmi Soneye
Attendance: 2465