Crystal Palace √ west ham united sun 27 apr 2025 | 12:30pm kick-off
it’s matchday
A warm welcome to the VBS Community Stadium, as we play our penultimate home Women’s Super League match this season, hosting West Ham United.
down to Sutton to support the team and – for those arriving early – to experience our Fanzone, situated just beyond the Collingwood Road Stand at the far side of the stadium.
Opening at 11:00, the Fanzone will feature lots of fun, games, activities, refreshments and music – the perfect way for the whole family to warm-up ahead of kick-off!
Then, as the action draws near, get behind the team – and be loud, be proud… be Palace!
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leif smerud
Hello everyone, it’s a privilege to welcome you back to the VBS today.
When I joined this club, I felt it straight away:
Crystal Palace is different. This part of London is built on resilience, character, and pride – and this club reflects that. We don’t ask for shortcuts. We don’t make excuses. We stand together, and we fight for progress.
This season hasn’t been simple. Growth rarely is. But through every challenge, we’ve worked to move forward. Not perfectly. Not always smoothly. But with honesty, with courage, and with a shared commitment to something bigger than ourselves.
Some of our performances have shown exactly who we want to be –connected, courageous, competitive. Others have fallen short. But the ambition is the same: to build a team that reflects the strength of this club and the values of this community.
Not everyone has had the same journey this year. But what matters is that we’re still here – still building, still competing, still growing. Together.
To you, the supporters: thank you. You’ve shown up when it’s been easy, and more importantly, when it hasn’t. You are part of the identity we’re shaping. When you back us, this place becomes something more than just a
the ambition is the same: to build a team that reflects the strength of this club and the values of this community
this moment matters. Not just the result, but the way we go into it. With presence. With fight. With belief. We don’t control everything – but we control how we show up for each other, and that defines us more than any scoreboard ever could
ground. It becomes a force. A reminder of who we represent.
And to the players and staff: this moment matters. Not just the result, but the way we go into it. With presence. With fight. With belief. We don’t control everything – but we control how we show up for each other, and that defines us more than any scoreboard ever could.
So as we face West Ham today, let’s keep writing our story. One game at a time. One performance at a time. One team.
We’re not just surviving. We’re building something real. Something with roots in South London. Something that will last.
Come on you Eagles.
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aimee everett
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to the VBS Community Stadium. There’s no hiding from it – this is a huge game for us.
It’s not the last home game, nor the end of the season, but a really important match in what’s been an incredible, challenging, and unforgettable journey in our first-ever WSL campaign.
Let me start, as always, with thanks. Thank you for showing up today and thank you for standing with us all season. Through the ups, the setbacks, the late goals, the big wins – you’ve been there. And every time we step out onto the pitch here at the VBS, we feel your support behind us.
We really do. Whether it’s the songs, the shouts, the flags waving from behind the goals, or just the warmth you show us after matches, it matters more than you know.
This season has been a real test. The Women’s Super League is an unforgiving place. Every team has quality. Every game asks different questions.
But that’s what we wanted – we worked so hard to earn our place here, and I’m proud of how we’ve embraced the challenge. The results haven’t always gone our way, and yes, we’re in a fight now, but I’ve seen courage, togetherness, and growth from this group every single week.
One of my standout memories of the season so far is that brilliant win here at home against Aston Villa. A 3-1 win and a performance that had everything: intensity, organisation, belief. We showed everyone what we’re about that day. And more than that, we saw what this stadium can become when it’s bouncing. The atmosphere was electric. That win didn’t just give us three points – it gave us belief, and reminded us what’s possible at this level.
Our FA Cup run was another highlight. Beating Newcastle to reach the quarter-finals was a proud moment, not just for the team, but for the club as a whole. It was one of those matches where you feel that history is being made.
But football isn’t just about the good moments – it’s about how you respond when things get tough. And being honest, we’ve had tough days. We’ve dropped points in games where we deserved more. We’ve had to grind through injuries, adapt our shape, and lift each other when results have stung. But through all of it, we’ve stayed united. No one has hidden. No one has given less than their all. And I’m proud of that.
I’m proud of our younger players, who’ve taken big steps this season under pressure. I’m proud of the experienced ones who’ve led from the front. And I’m proud of the team as a whole – because we’ve never stopped believing.
But we also know we can’t do it alone. That’s why today matters so much. These final home games at the VBS are a chance for us to feed off your energy and give everything we’ve got in return.
So bring your voices. Bring the noise. Make the VBS something no visiting team wants to deal with. You remind us who we’re doing this for –and whatever happens, we’ll walk off at the end of the season knowing we gave it everything.
This is still just the start of something here. Our story is only beginning, and you – our fans – are right at the heart of it. Let’s make today one to remember. Let’s fight together. Let’s show what this club is all about.
Up the Palace.
last time out
It was a tough evening for the Eagles at Kingsmeadow on Wednesday, as Crystal Palace Women lost 4-0 to title-chasing Chelsea.
Palace Women battled hard but came up short against the defending Barclays Women’s Super League champions, who remain undefeated in domestic competition this season.
The Eagles matched Chelsea for the first 20 minutes at Kingsmeadow, with few chances being afforded to the hosts.
The turning point came in the 21st minute however, when Molly Sharpe was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, after the ball struck her arm from very close range.
Goalkeeper Shae Yañez got a hand to the penalty from Guro Reiten, but it wasn’t enough as the ball trickled into the net.
Chelsea would double their lead just two minutes later, with Catarina Macario finding space and planting an accurate finish into the bottom corner.
The hosts were denied a third just before the break, after Hayley Nolan made a heroic last-ditch challenge on forward Aggie Beever-Jones.
Palace’s fortunes did not improve after the break, as Allyson Swaby was shown a straight red card on the 47th minute. The Jamaica international
Wednesday 23nd April 4-0
was ruled to have pulled back Macario as she raced through on goal, and so Swaby was dismissed for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity.
From there, it became clear that it wouldn’t be Palace’s day as Macario’s
resultant free-kick took a wicked deflection past Yañez to put the hosts 3-0 up.
Substitute Mia Fishel then made it 4-0 on the 64th minute, completing the scoring from close range after a dangerous Chelsea corner.
chelsea √ palace
leif smerud
“I think we knew it was going to be a hard game. We managed to get them a bit frustrated early on and then I was just saying on the bench ‘I think we have some more control’ – and then the penalty came, and I think that gave them some calmness and belief.
“We then made a small mistake and they punished us, so it was 2-0. Still, I think they didn’t create that much – they of course had the ball a lot, but I still felt we were in the game at half-time.
“We came out – and then the red card changed everything. It was about surviving and showing character, and that I think we did.
“We didn’t surrender. We fought with everything we had, and you can’t ask the players for any more than that.
“We have to get people ready for the game on Sunday – it’s a big game and we will go for it.”
west unitedham
the hammers 1991
SKINNER’S RESILIENT HAMMERS
West Ham United Women have shown real resilience in the 2024/25 Barclays Women’s Super League season under the guidance of manager Rehanne Skinner. After a challenging previous campaign, the Hammers have made strategic moves to strengthen their squad and improve their standings.
MARTINEZ ON FIRE
Shekiera Martinez has hit form at the right time for West Ham, leading their line with confidence and precision.
The German striker’s sharp finishing has seen her rack up five goals from just eight games in the WSL this season, earning her the WSL Player of the Month award for March.
THE WEST HAM WAY
West Ham’s reputation for nurturing young talent has been evident through their Professional Game Academy, with players like Ruby Doe, Marnie Morrison and Daniella Way being recently integrated into the first team.
STRONG AT HOME
In their latest WSL outing, West Ham secured a 0-0 draw against Manchester United, showing their defensive solidity and ability to contend with the WSL’s top teams. This result follows a series of strong home performances, including a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, where goals from Verena Hanshaw and Viviane Asseyi sealed a memorable win over their bitter rivals.
Despite Martinez’s strong start to life in East London, Viviane Asseyi remains a pivotal figure in West Ham’s attacking line-up. Her ability to exploit spaces and deliver crucial goals makes her a constant threat. Asseyi’s experience and leadership on the field are invaluable assets to the Hammers as they aim to climb the league table.
“I thought we were incredibly hard to play against, defended brilliantly and managed their threats. Another clean sheet, two on the bounce at home, and another point against a team in the top four.” R. Skinner
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