WSL: Leicester City finish season in style with 4-2 win over West Ham | OneFootball

Leicester City hosted West Ham in their final Women’s Super League match of the 2024/25 season at a sunny King Power Stadium, and ended the campaign with a bang.

The last time out, the Hammers held on for a 1-0 win but with both teams safe, and lots of squad changes expected over the summer, this was one for the fans at the KP.

Leicester raced into an early lead through two-time Champions League winner Janice Cayman, who finished superbly from the edge of the box. West Ham looked subdued after their recent resurgence in form and Leicester got a second as Hannah Cain was sent through on goal after a great pass from Sam Tierney. The Wales international took her chance to chip Kinga Szemik at the second time of asking, and celebrated in front her home fans.

More goals followed as Viviane Asseyi got one back for West Ham, quickly followed by a second for Cain to make it 3-1. Tierney then capped off a fine performance, in what could be her last for Leicester City, with a long range shot that beat the recovering Szemik to give the Foxes the 4-2 win.

Starting XIs

Leicester City

Leitzig; Tierney, Howard, Cayman, Ale, Thibaud, Goodwin, Cain, Chossenotte, Momiki, Swaby

West Ham

Szemik; Ueki, Pavi, Nystrom, Zadorsky, Denton, Martinez, Asseyi, Gorry, Hanshaw, Piubel

Leicester and West Ham both confident in safety

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These two teams have been battling it out in the bottom half of the table all season but started the day knowing they were safe, after Crystal Palace had been relegated in previous weeks. Leicester looked unleashed, but West Ham were a little fatigued with less creative spark between midfield and attack than in their successes of recent weeks.

It was Leicester City midfielder Cayman who broke the deadlock early on and got the home crowd on their feet as she picked up the loose ball on the edge of the area and struck perfectly to beat Szemik. Asseyi was then booked for a professional foul to break up a Leicester attack. The Foxes soon struck again as Tierney played a sublime through ball, reminiscent of her previous goal creating pass for Lena Petermann against Everton. Cain latched onto the chance to make it 2-0.

In form West Ham striker Shekiera Martinez, who bagged her tenth goal of the WSL season last time out, tried to get the Hammers back into it with an elaborate over head kick but it sailed wide. Despite dominating first half possession, West Ham went into half-time 2-0 down.

Leicester round off the season with convincing win

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West Ham freshened things up with two changes at the break to try and get back into the match, but it continued along the same vein. Leicester were happy to sit back and allow the Irons possession.

The match twisted and turned and Asseyi got one back for the visitors to make it 3-1. Then, Leicester broke again and restored their two-goal lead as Cain bagged her brace. On 63 minutes Asseyi again popped up with a brilliant free-kick from the edge of the area that had Janina Leitzig in goal well beaten.

With the match finely balanced at 3-2, Tierney struck from distance to make it four for Leicester. Both teams made further changes which kept the momentum high right to the final whistle, but it was Leicester who took the points. With results going their way elsewhere, they cemented 10th in the WSL. West Ham finish above the Foxes by three points.

Heading into the summer

Both teams will be looking to rebuild alongside the Euros 2025 tournament. Leicester have nine first team players out of contract this summer, so fans could expect to see a few new faces coming in. Meanwhile, West Ham will be keen to keep hold of star striker Martinez, hoping she hits the ground running next season.

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