Seike strikes but Albion are beaten

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Japanese international scored her seventh goal of the season but London City Lionesses hit back to win 2-1.

Bruce Talbot

2026-02-01T13:45+00:00

In the week she signed a new contract, Kiko Seike had more reason to celebrate after putting Albion in front. 📷Kyle Hemsley.

Albion went down 2-1 to London City Lionesses in the WSL on a frustrating afternoon at the Broadfield Stadium.

Kiko Seike scored her seventh goal of the season midway through the first half but by the break the visitors were ahead thanks to Moeka Minami’s own goal and Freya Godfrey’s powerful finish.

Madison Haley and Nadine Noordam both hit the post and Albion had other opportunities but the equaliser which was the minimum they deserved for what was a good performance eluded them.

The tone was set from the start as Albion started on the front foot and Rosa Kafaji had two early chances as the hosts enjoyed 70% possession in the first 15 minutes. They looked a threat every time they attacked, especially in wide areas.

Kiko Seike makes it 1-0 with her fifth league goal of the season. 📷Kyle Hemsley.

The deadlock was broken on 23 minutes and was no more than Albion deserved. Charlie Rule dispossessed former team-mate Poppy Pattinson and found Haley, who laid it off to Seike. She still had a lot to do but did it in style, finding the far corner with the outside of her right boot from 12 yards.

Hungry for a second goal, Seike hit one from 25 yards and forced Elene Lete, getting down low to her right, to make a good save.

London City had offered little in an attacking sense but drew level against the run of play on 36 minutes when Minami, who was trying to clear Isobel Goodwin’s cross, instead lashed it high into her own net.

Back came Albion and they twice hit the post in the space of five minutes. Haley hit the right-hand upright from close range and Nadine Noordam struck the same post after Seike pulled the ball back into her path.

But it was the Lionesses who stunned Albion in stoppage-time by taking an unexpected lead. Godfrey cut in from the right, wrongfooted Manuela Vanegas with a stepover before finding the top corner with a powerful right-foot shot that gave Chiamaka Nnadozie no chance.

Rosa Kafaji brings the ball under control in the London City penalty area. 📷Kyle Hemsley.

It was an unlikely half-time scenario given how much Albion had been on top and they should have levelled four minutes into the second period. Seike did the hard work by going past two defenders but with only Lete to beat composure let her down and she hit the side netting.

Another good Albion ended with Kafaji curling a shot wide then with 18 minutes to go Haley seemed to have won the race for a long ball down the middle with Elena Linari on the edge of the box. Haley went down but the referee waved play on and a few minutes later the American striker tumbled over Pattinson’s left leg just inside the box but again there was no penalty.

Albion players pay tribute to Rado Vidosic before kick-off. 📷Kyle Hemsley.

Albion kept pushing and by the end had racked up 16 shots and 41 touches in the box compared to six at the other end – but the most important stat fell in the Lionesses’ favour.