Two for Terland as Albion fight back for a point

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Norwegian striker is now leading scorer in the WSL after late double earns Albion a 2-2 draw at home to Leicester City.

Bruce Talbot

2023-12-10T16:45:00Z

Elisabeth Terland volleys home to make it 2-1 and get Albion back into the game.

Elisabeth Terland went to the top of the WSL goalscoring charts with a late double to rescue a point for Albion at the Broadfield Stadium.

The Norwegian striker, 22, now has seven league goals after strikes in the last ten minutes helped Albion come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Leicester City.

Lena Pattermann had put the Foxes in front in the 45th minute and she was also involved in the attack which led to Jutta Rantala making it 2-0 26 seconds into the second period.

A diving header by Elisabeth Terland from Poppy Pattinson's cross makes it 2-2.

But two fine finishes by Terland, which took her tally for the season to eight in all competitions, earned Albion a deserved point and she could have won the game in stoppage time but fired inches wide.

Terland thought she’d given Albion the perfect start when she raced onto Maria Thorisdottir’s long ball inside the first 30 seconds and slotted home – only to be frustrated by the offside flag.

The hosts were on top in the early stages but struggled to create clear opportunities against a well-organised Leicester.

Thorisdottir was inches away from converting Maisie Symonds’ free-kick, but the visitors went close on 35 minutes. Jutta Rantala played in Courtney Nevin on the left and her powerful strike was cleared by Emma Kullberg.

Pauline Bremer nearly won it for Albion with the last kick of the game.

Kullberg was involved again when the Foxes broke the deadlock just before the break. She tried to clear a bouncing ball in the D but it hit Pettermann who smashed it right-footed into the top corner, giving Sophie Baggaley no chance. It appeared the Foxes’ forward had controlled the ball with her hand but Kullberg’s appeal was ignored by the referee.

Leicester doubled their lead 26 seconds into the second half. Albion failed to clear their lines and when Pettermann’s shot was blocked Sam Tierney threaded a pass to Rantala whose curling right-foot effort flew into the top corner, with Baggaley again having no chance.

Albion had work to do but Terland nearly got one back when Pauline Bremer teed her up for a shot which was blocked by Julie Thibaud. Thorisdottir got a firm head on the corner but headed wide.

Terland’s header from an inviting cross by substitute Katie Robinson took a deflection off Josie Green and enabled Leitzig to make a comfortable save but the Leicester keeper had no chance when Terland pulled one back with nine minutes to go. It was route one stuff as Thorisdottir’s long ball was controlled by the Norwegian, who strongly held off Sophie Howard and steered her volley into the corner. Game on.

Vea Sarri and Emma Kullberg.

Two minutes from the end of normal time it was 2-2 when Terland stooped to guide a header into the bottom corner but it was the quality of the delivery from the left by Poppy Pattinson that made her job so much easier.

With 11 minutes of stoppage time Albion had time to grab an unlikely winner and they should have taken one of three chances they carved out. Guro Bergsvand led a counter attack and found Robinson whose pass picked out Terland on the edge of the D. This time, however, Terland’s aim was awry and her shot whistled inches wide. Tatiano Pinto blazed over and with the last kick Bremer forced Leitzig to push her shot wide. There wasn’t time for Albion to take the corner but they will consider this a point gained.