What happened in the WSL this weekend as West Ham mauling relegates London rivals

Daily Mirror

28-04-2025

Crystal Palace were sent plummeting to an immediate Championship return as Shekiera Martinez scored four goals for West Ham United in a 7-1 rout.
Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur's search for a first win was extended to eight games after Liverpool's Sophie Roman Haug bagged a brace to salvage a 2-2 draw in St. Helens.
Nikita Parris came back to haunt Everton after firing an injury-time winner to seal all three points for Brighton & Hove Albion and a goal from Jess Park proved the difference for Manchester City against Leicester City.
Martinez magic
Shekiera Martinez bagged four goals as West Ham demolished Crystal Palace 7-1 to send the Eagles' straight back down to the second tier.
Leif Smerud's side needed to avoid defeat to keep their place in the top flight for at least another week but were left with a mountain to climb after Martinez's first-half hattrick.
The German opened the scoring with a well-timed header and doubled her tally with a precise left-footed finish into the top corner.
She added a third after rounding Shae Yanez just before the interval before claiming her fourth moments after the hour mark.
Viviane Asseyi then added to the rout with a chip over Yanez and though Palace pulled one back through an 80th-minute Katie Stengel penalty, Emma Harries struck twice late on to finish the job.
Spurs stifled by Román Haug
Tottenham Hotspur are now in search of a first win in eight games after Sophie Román Haug netted twice to spare Liverpool's blushes against Spurs in a 2-2 in St Helens.
The Norwegian broke the deadlock after 12 minutes when she reacted fastest to a loose ball, only for Spurs to seize control of proceedings with two goals in five minutes.
Their equailser came when Reds keeper Rachael Laws failed to secure Grace Fisk's attempted clearance and took the lead when Clare Hunt tapped home Maite Oroz's delivery.
However, Roman Haug's goal in the second half ensured a point for Liverpool even as they slipped behind Brighton into sixth.
Seagulls stun Toffees
Nikita Parris struck in stoppage time to seal the spoils for Brighton & Hove Albion and end her side's three-game losing skid with a 3-2 win over Everton
The Toffees led twice at Walton Hall Park and broke the deadlock through Sara Holmgaard in the ninth minute.
Michelle Agyemang levelled the scores with a close-range finish only for her side to go behind again when Katja Snoeijs volleyed home two minutes later.
Fran Kirby equalised for Brighton a minute ahead of the break with a curled finish after combining with Parris.
The forward then clinched all three points for the Seagulls when she scored against her former side three minutes into stoppage time.
City see off Foxes
Jess Park kept alive Manchester City's Champions League qualification hopes after firing her side past Leicester City in a 1-0 win.
Park was set up by Lauren Hemp, who was returning from a lengthy injury lay-off, 20 minutes left on the clock as she tapped home Hemp's low cross past Foxes No.1 Janina Leitzig.
City now find themselves four points shy of neighbours Manchester United for the third and final Champions League qualification spot, though the Red Devils have a game in hand.