Brighton and Hove Albion made a strong start to their WSL campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Birmingham City at the Broadfield Stadium, thanks to second half goals from Megan Connolly and Inessa Kaagman.

Albion were the stronger team throughout and were rewarded on the hour mark when Connolly was afforded too much space and curled a sumptuous effort home from 20 yards, Hannah Hampton in the City goal beaten all ends up. Two minutes later the lead was doubled as Kaagman nodded home a debut goal to make the lead much more comfortable.

Fast paced start sees both teams get forward

It was goalless at half time, with Hope Powell’s side having been on the front foot for the majority of the first half. A frantic first couple of minutes saw Katie Robinson, making her Brighton debut, break down the left but her end product was lacking on this occasion and Birmingham cleared comfortably.

After that came a spell of Blues pressure. First, Jamie-Lee Napier broke down the right and her low cross caused some panic in the Seagulls back line before they eventually cleared. Then Claudia Walker found time in the box to turn and shoot- her low effort blocked by Rebekah Stott.

Albion fail to make first half chances pay

After that the game settled slightly, with Brighton on the front foot and playing some lovely fluid football. They first came close through Geum-Min Lee, also making her debut, when she was fed by Kaagman down the right. The Korean raced clear but could only fire her effort into the side netting from a slight angle.

It was the first of three warning signs that Brighton fired in the first half. Minutes later, Kaagman rocked the bar with an effort from 22 yards after the ball fell kindly to her on her weak foot, before Dani Bowman hit almost the same patch of woodwork ten minutes later. Birmingham gave away a cheap free kick 20 yards out and the home skipper curled an effort onto the bar that had Hampton rooted to the spot.

The rest of the first half was played at a fast pace with Brighton continuing to put the pressure on- in particular when a Fliss Gibbons cross from the left caused a goalmouth scramble of sorts that City just about cleared.

Brighton ramp up pressure in second half

The second started off slightly scrappy with City more willing- or perhaps more able- to get forward, but still Brighton looked the most likely. Seven minutes into the half Lee broke down the left chasing a long ball and cut in- her curled effort to the back post not quite threatening the goal or finding Connolly’s run.

The pressure continued to build as first Bowman had an effort from the edge of the area blocked, before good work from Katie Robinson down the right saw her find space to send a cross in that Connolly couldn’t quite connect with.

Brighton get two in quick succession

Connolly certainly connected with the ball minutes later, as she picked up the ball on the turn and picked out the top corner from 20 yards out. It was no less than Albion deserved for their endeavours and just two minutes later Albion’s lead was doubled. Connolly turned provider for the second, breaking down the right and floating in a cross for Kaagman at the back post to nod home. It capped an impressive debut from the Dutch international who was a constant threat throughout the 90 minutes.

The last 25 or so minutes became a scrappy affair with Birmingham failing to threaten any sort of comeback. Indeed it was Brighton who looked likely to add a third, with Kaagman again hitting the post, this time with an ambitious free kick from the byline, before Aileen Whelan broke down the left but couldn’t quite find Kaagman as the match creeped to the final whistle.

 

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