Manchester United Women maintained their unbeaten start to the Women's Super League (WSL) season with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. The Red Devils showcased their attacking prowess, but Brighton proved to be a resilient opponent, making for a thrilling contest.
Elisabeth Terland opened the scoring for Manchester United, finding the bottom corner to give her team the lead. Jess Park then doubled the advantage with a stunning goal after the break. Park's performance throughout the match was exceptional, bringing energy and drive to United's attack.
However, Brighton mounted a comeback attempt, with Fran Kirby pulling a goal back to reduce the deficit. The Seagulls' resurgence tested United's defense, but the visitors responded with Lisa Naalsund adding a third goal in the 89th minute, assisted by Park, seemingly securing the win. Despite Naalsund's goal, Brighton refused to give up, and Kiko Seike scored in stoppage time to make it 3-2, but it was too late to affect the result.
Manchester United's starting XI saw one change from their previous match against Atletico Madrid, with Jess Park replacing Fridolina Rolfo. The defense, consisting of Phallon Tullis-Joyce in goal, Anna Sandberg, Dominique Janssen, Maya Le Tissier, and Jayde Riviere, faced a persistent threat from Brighton's attack. Despite Brighton scoring twice, Janssen was not at fault for either goal. Le Tissier, however, lost track of Seike, who scored Brighton's second goal.
Substitutes Fridolina Rolfo, Hannah Blundell, Simi Awujo, Lisa Naalsund and Gabby George all made appearances in the second half, contributing to United's efforts to secure the victory. Marc Skinner's tactical decisions proved effective in navigating the challenges posed by Brighton.
With this win, Manchester United have now won five of their seven league games this season and sit third in the WSL table, two points behind leaders Chelsea. Meanwhile, Brighton have suffered their third straight WSL defeat. This result highlights Manchester United's determination to compete for the WSL title and their ability to grind out results even when faced with tough opposition.
