Preview: Albion face Villa again in WSL

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A look-ahead to our first home league match of 2023.

Bruce Talbot

2023-02-12T06:00:00Z

Albion celebrate Julia Zigiotti's goal in last week's 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.

Albion play their first home match in the WSL under Jens Scheuer on Sunday when we take on Aston Villa at the Broadfield Stadium, kick off 2pm.

Team news

Striker Elisabeth Terland is back in training but Sunday's game may be too soon. Geummin Lee and Julia Zigiotti picked up knocks against Villa last week but trained yesterday and their fitness will be assessed pre-match.

View from the coach

At his pre-match press conference Jens Scheuer said, “We're playing them again after a week so we know a bit more about them and they know a bit more about us. But it's the same, a very difficult game but we're at home in our [Crawley] stadium and we want to get the three points."

Form guide

The sides met just eight days ago at the Poundland Stadium in Walsall where it finished 1-1. An own goal by Kayleigh Green gave Villa a first-half lead but Julia Zigiotti equalised in the second half.

The previous week both sides had recorded big wins in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup. While Albion were beating West Brom 7-0 Villa enjoyed an 11-0 victory over AFC Fylde, with Rachel Daly scoring four times and eight different players getting on the scoresheet.

Villa started 2023 with a 2-1 win over Tottenham before claiming a point from a 1-1 draw at Manchester City. They then bowed out of the Conti Cup after losing 3-0 to Arsenal in the quarter-finals. Villa lost both WSL games in December, 5-0 at Manchester United and 4-1 at home to Arsenal.

Albion will be looking for their first league win since November’s 5-4 victory at West Ham United.

Player to watch

England Euros winner Rachel Daly has made a spectacular impact for Carla Ward’s team since joining last summer from Houston Dash. Daly has scored 15 goals and contributed an assist in 16 matches this season and was named WSL player of the month for January after scoring five goals in all competitions. Before playing in America, Daly had spells with Leeds United, Lincoln City and West Ham United.

Rachel Daly scoring against Manchester City, one of 15 goals she has netted this season.

Previous meetings

Both matches last season ended in 1-0 wins for the away team with Maya Le Tissier getting Albion’s goal at the Poundland Stadium. We also beat Villa there in March 2021 when goals from Aileen Whelan and Inessa Kaagman’s penalty secured a 2-0 win, Villa having won 2-0 at the Broadfield Stadium in the clubs’ first WSL meeting in November 2020.

Stats and facts

Albion have lost both of their home WSL games against Aston Villa without scoring a goal in either defeat.

There has never been a home win in WSL games between Brighton and Aston Villa, with the away team winning four of five games (D1). Only Doncaster Rovers Belles vs Everton has been played more often in the WSL without seeing a home win (six games).

Albion have picked up five points in their last seven home WSL games (W1 D2 L4), conceding 21 goals across these games at an average of three per game.

Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last three WSL matches (W1 D2) - last enjoying a longer run without defeat between April and September 2021 (eight games).

Albion haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last 14 WSL matches, the longest run without a clean sheet of any current side.

Aston Villa manager Carla Ward has only won one of her five WSL games against Brighton (D2 L2), although that was on her last away trip to the Seagulls in September 2021, a 1-0 win with Villa.

Match officials

Referee: Elizabeth Simms

Assistants: David Middleton and Ruby Sykes

Fourth Official: Abigail Byrne

Remembering earthquake victims

The WSL is deeply saddened by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, which have killed thousands of people.

Also, a mark of respect to those who lost their lives, or are affected by these tragic events, players and officials will wear black armbands at this weekend’s matches and there will be a minute's silence prior to kick off.

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