Double-header: Lionesses leave it late vs Villa before Ouattara snatches point for Bees

 

Freya Godfrey scored the winner for London City Lionesses

As part of the week-long summit for Global Institute of Sport (GIS), I was lucky enough to experience two matches in two days at the very top of the women’s and men’s English football pyramids.

First up was a trip to Bromley’s Hayes Lane to watch London City Lionesses take on Aston Villa on the final day of the 2025-26 Women’s Super League (WSL) campaign.

Lionesses, founded in 2019, pride themselves on being the only top-tier women’s team to not be affiliated with a men’s club, and have already secured a solid mid-table finish in their debut WSL campaign, but could finish in the top half of the table if results go their way.

Managed by Eder Maestre and boasting players such as Australian international and WSL veteran Alanna Kennedy, former PSG midfielder Grace Geyoro and ex-Arsenal favourites Danielle van de Donk and Nikita Parris, Lionesses were coming up against a Villa side who were looking to end a three-game losing streak that saw them enter the final matchday of the season in ninth place.

The matchday experience, and my first visit to this ground, was a positive one. There was lots going on outside the stadium including a fanzone with activities for all ages and a restaurant that had been turned into a place where people could buy typical stadium food and drink from a counter. Club volunteers were also handing out free scarves and there was a positive buzz around the place.

Truthfully, the first half was a poor affair – played at the pace of a typical end-of-season match – with the hosts coming the closest through Kennedy and Isobel Goodwin, before Villa struck on the stroke of half time. Lynn Wilms and Jenna Nighswonger exchanged passes from a short corner routine before the former launched a shot from the edge of the box which found the net via a deflection.

Lionesses came out with intent in the second half and grabbed the equaliser on 73 minutes. Van de Donk, who had just been introduced as a substitute, got the telling touch after a scramble from a corner in the Villa penalty area, hooking the ball over the line after her initial effort was blocked.

Wingers Freya Godfrey and Delphine Cascarino were causing the Aston Villa defence all kinds of problems, and the latter almost grabbed the winner when her shot from an angle flew narrowly over.

But it was Godfrey who would have the final say in stoppage time. Substitute Parris played a perfect through ball, which the 21-year-old ran onto and finished expertly under England goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck, to secure a top-half finish for London City Lionesses in their maiden WSL campaign.

It was a wonderful season for the newest club in the league, who have build not just an exciting team but a good matchday experience as tenants of Bromley – the only low point on the day being substitute Malou Marcetto having to be replaced herself after picking up a nasty knock, which was later revealed by the club to be an MCL and an ACL injury – a horrible way for her to end the season.

 

Sunday saw a trip to the Gtech Community Stadium – for me the second time at the new ground and the third Brentford match overall, having managed to go to the old Griffin Park just before its closure – to watch European challengers Brentford host Crystal Palace – themselves in a European final in ten days’ time as they take on Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig in the UEFA Conference League.

It was an eventful first few minutes as both sides went close before Ismaila Sarr was brought down by Brentford number 1 Caoimhín Kelleher inside the box – referee Sam Barrott going to VAR to award the penalty.

Sarr made no mistake from the box despite Kelleher diving the right way, and Palace led after 6 minutes.

The Senegalese winger, definitely Palace’s most lively player on the day, rattled the woodwork minutes later from a tight angle, before Jorgen Strand Larsen hit the post himself.

The Bees found themselves level just before the half in fortuitous circumstances, as Yehor Yarmoliuk’s cross was intercepted by Jaydee Canvot, but the Palace man’s header clearance ricocheted off Dango Ouattara and into the back of the net, giving Brentford an equaliser against the run of play.

Backed by a buoyant away following all afternoon, eagerly awaiting their first-ever European final in less than two weeks, Crystal Palace drew level early in the second half. In his 95^th game for the club, Adam Wharton’s low shot from the edge of the box squirmed under Kelleher and into the back of the net, after good work from Brennan Johnson. The English midfielder answered chants of “if Wharton scores, we’re on the pitch” which were heard in the first half… but there was no pitch invasion this time. Maybe if he scores in Leipzig.

Palace’s mood was soured two minutes from time, as a trademark Michael Kayode long throw was flicked on by Sepp van den Berg and powered home by Ouattara – the Burkina Faso international registering his seventh goal of a promising debut campaign in West London after making the move from Bournemouth in the summer.

That draw left Brentford outside of the European qualification positions on goal difference, while Palace, having a disappointing campaign after their FA Cup and subsequent Community Shield triumphs in 2025, sit 15^th with one match still to play.

After both matches at the weekend, the players took part in a lap of honour to thank the home supporters for their efforts during the season, and both matches had a decent atmosphere as the season draws to a conclusion.