Brighton women’s manager Dario Vidošić praised his team after winning 4-2 against Aston Villa to cap off “such a tough week” in style.
“The week we’ve had, I have to commend the ladies,” Vidošić said. Away trips to Manchester City and Birmingham before facing Villa meant his side have played three games within the space of seven days.
Brighton attacked bravely throughout the game against Villa, and after scoring four today, have now scored eight goals in their last two home Women’s Super League matches.
An impressed Vidošić said that his squad were “probably overachieving what I expected,” after securing three wins in his opening four games as manager.
Nikita Parris marked her WSL full-debut for Brighton by scoring her first for the club, a 15th minute equalizer. Substitute and loanee Michelle Agyemang also scored her first goal for the Seagulls in the 97th minute to secure the win.
Vidošić said on the pair that “they will only get better,” and despite missing the majority of pre-season, both players are “catching up” at a good pace.
On top of Agyemang, Vidošić praised the “tremendous” efforts of his substitutions, who proved all-the-more valuable after Brighton’s intense week. Summer signing Kiko Seike was brought on at half-time, to offer an “in-behind, one-vs-one threat”.
Embed from Getty ImagesSeike did exactly that – winning the penalty that took Brighton 3-2 up, in a controversial decision that saw Villa defender Paula Tomas sent off.
The Brighton manager said on the red card that “it did look like contact on the shoulder of Kiko’s head,” and that for Tomas, “if you go in, you run the risk”.
Robert de Pauw, however, saw Tomas’ red card in a different light. He considered the decision “ridiculous”.
“The explanation from the referee was an elbow in excessive force,” de Pauw said, although he deemed Tomas’ actions “clearly not excessive force”. He confirmed that Tomas’ red card will be appealed.
De Pauw also said on the decision: “the job you do together all week, you put the effort in and you get one moment like that, it’s frustrating”.
The red card and 4-2 loss to Brighton leave Aston Villa on one point from three WSL games, and in a tough position, which de Pauw recognised.
“You don’t get points for playing in good way,” the manager said, who believed his side’s performance was “positive” regardless of the result.
One positive can be seen in captain Rachel Daly’s brace. De Pauw said that “Rachel is of big importance,” and is a “leader of the group”.
Embed from Getty ImagesAnother leader of Villa’s squad, Jordan Nobbs, set the record for outright all-time appearances in the WSL by stepping onto the pitch for the 193rd time against Brighton.
De Pauw praised Nobbs for “the energy that she brings and the experience that she puts on the pitch,” and considered her quality and play-style “like a little Modrić”.
Having played every league minute so far, Nobbs will be needed to help Villa turn the performances into points when they host Leicester on Sunday.
