Report and reaction as Albion lose 3-2 to Leicester

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Second-half goals from Madison Haley and Fran Kirby not enough as Albion go down 3-2 in the WSL.

Bruce Talbot

2025-03-23T17:00+00:00

Fran Kirby gave Albion hope when she made it 3-2 from the penalty spot. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Albion paid for a poor first-half display at the King Power Stadium as they went down 3-2 to Leicester City in the WSL on Sunday.

Dario Vidosic’s side had picked up four points from their previous two games but defensive lapses were punished in the first half when the Foxes went 3-0 up through goals from Shannon O’Brien, Saori Takarada and Shana Chossenotte.

Madison Haley's strike from the edge of the box was her first goal for a year. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Madison Haley pulled one back with her first goal for a year and after Melina Loeck had saved a penalty they made it 3-2 through Fran Kirby’s sixth goal of the season, also from the spot, with ten minutes to go. Albion then had chances to equalise in nine minutes of stoppage time but ultimately paid the price for a poor first 45.

Leicester had gone ahead after 11 minutes to reward their bright start. Guro Bergsvand gave the ball away but Albion still had opportunities to clear the danger on the edge of their box. They didn’t do so and O’Brien struck a sweet right-foot volley into the bottom corner from 20 yards with Loeck having no chance.

They fell 2-0 down after 35 minutes and from a defensive perspective it was a poor goal. Hannah Cain had space on the right to line-up a cross and it went past three defenders to the unmarked Takarada to volley home from close range.

Nikita Parris went closest for Albion in the first half but Chantelle Swaby blocked her volley. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Symonds got a vital touch with Takarada about to shoot and Poppy Pattinson blocked O’Brien’s close-range effort after Loeck gave possession away, but in stoppage time Albion fell 3-0 behind. Cain again had the freedom of the right-hand side again to pick out a teammate and Chossenotte poked her cross into the net as Loeck attempted to smother her shot.

Vidosic made two changes at the break with Kiko Seike and Marit Auee coming on, Auee making only her third appearance of an injury-troubled campaign.

Seike almost made an immediate impact but couldn’t quite turn home Haley’s cross before Albion twice went close in a minute on the hour mark. Symonds’ right-foot drive from 25 yards was tipped over by Leitzig before Parris nodded a cross to Maria Thorisdottir but her low shot was straight at the Foxes’ keeper. At the other end Loeck’s fingertips prevented O’Brien’s angled effort from squeezing inside the far post.

Nadine Noordam tries her luck in the first half. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

But Albion had been much better in the second period and pulled one back in the 72nd minute. Parris did well to find Haley in the D and the American’s powerful right-foot shot skidded past Leitzig into the bottom corner. It was her first goal since the win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate a year ago.

Haley was involved again four minutes later when her push on Sam Tierney saw Leicester awarded a very soft penalty, but Loeck dived to her right to push away Nicole Momiki’s effort and with ten minutes left Albion made it 3-2 with a penalty of their own. Momiki took down Parris on the edge of the six-yard box and this time there was no argument as Kirby drove the spot-kick down the middle for her sixth goal of the season.

Maisie Symonds tackles Asmita Ale. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Game on and Parris skied a great chance to equalise from just inside the box before Asmita Ale’s attempt to head Pattinson’s cross drifted inches wide of her own post. In nine minutes of stoppage time came further chances. Kirby unselfishly laid the ball into the path of Seike but unmarked she side-footed well over from six yards. In the dying seconds Leitzig tipped over Pattinson’s shot as Albion pushed but couldn’t quite find an equaliser.

The line-up

Loeck, Thorisdottir (Bremer 90), Bergsvand, Pattinson, McLauchlan (Auee 45), Symonds (Stefanovic 70), Noordam (Agyemang 70), Olislagers (Seike 45), Haley, Kirby, Parris.

Subs not used: Masaka, Hayes, Rule.

Dario Vidosic's thoughts...

"It was a game of two halves from us. We knew that they would try and play on the transition but we made three bad errors, looked disconnected and weren't protecting the penalty box either in the first half. We made too many basic mistakes and that played into their hands and they took their chances well.

"We tried to pin them back in the second half with a change of shape. It was better and I thought we generated a lot of chances. It could have been a different story if we'd played like that in the first half. The longer it went we knew they would fatigue and we were more patient. The fight in the second half was excellent but you make it a massive uphill challenge if you go 3-0 down. From our side we have to be way better.

"We've got one of the heavyweights coming next Sunday in Manchester City and we welcome the challenge of playing a fantastic team."