Albion fire four past Foxes in resounding Amex win

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Dario Vidosic's side secure all three points after fourmidable performance.

Matthew Bishop

2025-11-16T14:00+00:00

Madison Haley opened the scoring against Leicester at the Amex this afternoon. 📸 by James Boardman

Albion returned to winning ways in the Women’s Super League with a thumping 4-1 victory against Leicester City at the American Express Stadium.

In front of 4,645 buoyant Albion fans, goals from Madison Haley, Maelys Mpome, Marisa Olislagers and Kiko Seike lifted Dario Vidosic’s side up to seventh in the top-flight after a superb performance against the Foxes.

The win was made even more impressive by the fact Albion were without the talismanic Fran Kirby, who missed out through illness, and because it was actually Leicester who started the match on top before the Seagulls took control.

The visitors had the first real openings courtesy of Jutta Rantala, who saw her dangerous low cross well held by Chiamaka Nnadozie and then shot a couple of yards wide from inside the centre circle after spotting Nnadozie off her line.

Rantala caused Albion a lot of problems early on and after neat play down the right-hand side, Hannah Cain lofted a deep cross towards the back post which the Finland international met on the volley, but Nnadozie saved superbly with a strong left hand.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Nnadozie did brilliantly again to parry Cain’s powerful shot after she broke into the box, before the Nigerian shot-stopper acrobatically tipped Emily van Egmond’s cross-shot over the bar.

Albion’s goal was starting to live a charmed life but Nnadozie came off her line and saved her side again by denying Rantala once more after a quick free-kick taken by Sam Tierney caught the home side napping.

But just as Leicester looked likely to open the scoring, Albion responded with their best chance as Seike rattled the crossbar with a fantastic volley which left Foxes keeper Janina Leitzig stranded – and then Haley broke the deadlock in the 27th minute.

Kiko Seike and Marisa Olislagers celebrate Madison Haley's opener. 📸 by James Boardman

It was more great work from Seike who took a touch and turned 30 yards from goal before playing a perfect pass into the American’s path, and she did the rest brilliantly, bursting into the box and finishing with a delightful dink into the far corner.

A flurry of Albion corners followed with the momentum well and truly with the home side now, but Celeste Anais Boureille headed Rachel Mclaughlan’s set piece off the line and Leitzig denied Moeka Minami.

Mpome then tried her luck with a powerful effort from range but Leitzig did well to hold onto the ball and then Seike and Nadine Noordam were denied from close range before Leicester were relieved to hear the half-time whistle.

But the break offered little respite as within a minute of the restart, Mpome doubled Albion’s lead with a fine low finish after Olislagers pulled the ball back into her path 12 yards from goal.

Mpome and Mclauchlan celebrating our second goal. 📸 By James Boardman.

Albion continued to dominate the second half with Seike and Olislagers both denied at the near post by two fantastic low Leitzig saves. Haley also had a shot blocked following a well-worked corner and Noordam fired wide as Vidosic’s side searched for a well-deserved third goal.

The Seagulls were playing some fantastic free-flowing football and another well-worked move from back to front led to Haley breaking clear on the left after an hour, but she cut inside and arrowed a shot from 25 yards wide.

More good play set Mclaughlan free inside the box after Seike found her with a lovely weighted through-ball, but after the Scot swivelled and put it on a plate for Noordam, the former Ajax midfielder blazed her effort over the bar.

It was all Albion but with 15 minutes to go and against the run of play, Leicester halved the deficit when Shannon O’Brien controlled a looping ball and twisted her way past Charlie Rule before calming finding the bottom corner.

Albion’s grip on the game loosened with Leicester desperately looking for a leveller, but Vidosic’s side still had chances and eventually put the game to bed with five minutes remaining when Olislagers fired a right-footed shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

A third goal was the least Albion deserved and Olislagers, who was fantastic all afternoon, was a worthy scorer – but the Seagulls weren’t settling and so nearly had a fourth when Rosa Kafaji nutmegged Sari Kees and cut inside, but she shot just wide.

But that fourth goal duly arrived when Seike got in on the act in the third minute of stoppage time, reacting quickest when Leitzig could only parry Maisie Symonds’ long-range free-kick.

Kiko Seike adds another goal to her tally as she rounds off Albion's dominant 4-1 victory. 📸 by Kyle Hemsley

Four goals, three points and a five-star performance – the perfect result heading into the international break.

Albion: Nnadozie, Minami, Mpome (sub: Vanegas 68), Symonds ©, Cankovic (Tsunoda 90+5) Seike (Martin 90+5), Noordam, Olislagers, Haley (Kafaji 68), Mclauchlan, Rule (Hayes 90+1).

Subs not used: Poulter, Baggaley, Carabali, Auee.