Women’s Super League Sunday Roundup: Arsenal, Man City and Tottenham Make Winning Starts

Arsenal made a winning start to their Women's Super League title bid on Sunday, beating Brighton 1-0 thanks to a debut goal from new signing Lisa Baum, while champions Manchester City and Tottenham also opened the season with wins.

Baum, who arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer, needed just 10 minutes to make her mark at Broadfield Stadium. She drove through the Brighton defence and fired a shot in off the crossbar for the only goal of the game. She was one of four Arsenal debutants on the day, alongside goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez, defender Ona Battle and midfielder Georgia Stanway. Arsenal had chances to add more, but Alessia Russo blazed over from close range and Brighton keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie made a good stop late on to keep the score down. The win is only Brighton's second opening-day defeat in eight WSL seasons.

Manchester City eased to a 2-1 win over newly promoted Birmingham City at the Joie Stadium as they began the defence of their double-winning season. Mary Fowler broke the deadlock just after half time, and top scorer Khadija Shaw added two headed goals from corners soon after. Birmingham, who fielded four debutants in their starting line up, got a consolation goal in stoppage time when Oceane Hurtre slipped the ball past goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.

Tottenham thrashed West Ham 3-1 at Brisbane Road behind two goals from debutant Kirsty Hanson, last season's third-highest scorer in the league before her summer move from Aston Villa. Signe Gaupset opened the scoring after 18 minutes, and Hanson doubled the lead soon after with a shot that bounced in off the goalkeeper. Hanson wrapped things up late on with a curling finish into the top corner. West Ham, who lost all seven of their opening games last season, got a late goal back through Viv Asseyi.

Elsewhere, Crystal Palace marked their return to the top flight with a 1-0 win over Everton, with Lexi Lloyd-Smith scoring on her debut in the 34th minute. Everton hit the woodwork twice in the second half but could not find an equaliser, handing new boss Scott Phelan a defeat in his first game in permanent charge.

Liverpool also began the season strongly, beating newly promoted Charlton 4-0 at The Valley. Captain Grace Fisk scored twice, Vivien Endemann added a third on her league debut, and Cornelia Kapocs converted a stoppage-time penalty to complete the win, already matching Liverpool's total from the opening 13 games of last season.