Report: Albion 4 Charlton Athletic 0

Olaug Tvedten scores twice and Caitlin Hayes and Sophie Peskett are also on target as Albion make impressive start to Players Cup campaign.

Bruce Talbot

2026-09-23T21:30+01:00

Olaug Tvedten is all smiles after opening the scoring. 📷Kyle Hemsley

Arturo Ruiz celebrated his first win as women’s head coach after Albion made a winning start to their Players Cup campaign.

A 14th-minute goal by Olaug Tvedten was the least Albion deserved for a dominant first-half performance that should have brought them more goals, but they put that right after the break.

Tvedten did miss a penalty seven minutes into the second half but two minutes later she made it 2-0 with a finish into the far corner and she also created Albion’s fourth for Sophie Peskett, her first goal for the club since her move from Ipswich.

In between, Caitlyn Hayes headed the third as Albion impressed with their work in the final third.

Olaug Tvedten attacks the corner flag as she celebrates her goal. 📷Kyle Hemsley

With none of England’s Champions League clubs taking part in the revamped tournament the Players Cup is an opportunity for Albion to win a trophy.

The new format is split into two stages with six games in the league section and the top eight from 23 clubs going through to the knockouts from the unified league table.

And Albion made an excellent start against a Charlton side who will be back in Sussex in WSL action on Sunday week at the Amex.

Ruiz made seven changes to the team held by Aston Villa in the WSL on Sunday with Lia Walti, who was captain, Hayes, Manuela Vanegas and Emily Murphy the only survivors.

Olivia Garcia cuts inside during the first half. 📷Kyle Hemsley

Tvedten opened the scoring with a shot from 15 yards which flew past Anna Koivunen and Albion could have added further goals before the break with Olivia Garcia’s header, Emilie Joramo and Murphy all going close.

Tvedten won the penalty when she was brought down by Leigh Anne-Robe but her spot-kick crashed against the post as Koivunen dived the other way.

Olaug Tvedten makes it 2-0 with a precise finish into the far corner. 📷Kyle Hemsley

But within two minutes she found the bottom corner with a low finish after Murphy’s pass found her with a yard of space.

Hayes made it 3-0 after 65 minutes with a close-range header from Emilie Joramo’s inswinging corner before Tvedten turned provider with eight minutes to go when her cross from the left was headed in off the underside of the bar by Peskett.

Caitlin Hayes, who was also on the scoresheet, leads the celebrations after Olaug Tvedten doubled Albion's lead. 📷Kyle Hemsley

Albion: Loeck, Vanegas (Cankovic 76), Hayes, George, Auee, Rayner, Walti (Symonds 60), Joramo, Tvedten, Peskett, Garcia (Warren 72), Murphy (Olislagers 60).