Leicester City 0-1 Aston Villa: Rachel Daly scores winner in Women’s Super League

Rachel Daly was on target as Aston Villa hold on to beat Leicester City in their first Women’s Super League match after the winter break.

Leicester came closest late on when Deanne Rose’s shot was saved and Ava Baker’s strike on the rebound was cleared off the line by Sarah Mayling.

Villa’s victory was just their fourth in the league this season.

The visitors jump up to seventh in the WSL table, while Leicester, now winless in their past eight WSL games, drop to ninth.

Villa continue fine run in WSL

Aston Villa had a nightmare start to the season, losing their first five matches, but Carla Ward’s side have turned their form around, and have now won four of their past six in the WSL.

They started much brighter and should have been at least 2-0 up at half-time, with Canada international Leon looking particularly threatening going forward.

She set up Alisha Lehmann midway through the first half but the forward’s one-on-one effort was saved by Leicester keeper Janina Leitzig.

Leon had a shot whistle over the bar just before the break and was then twice denied by Leitzig when sent clean through in the second half.

Ultimately though, Villa’s poor finishing would go unpunished as they bounced back from their FA Cup exit at the hands of Everton last week.

Leicester struggle despite bright Momiki

While Villa started the season poorly but are now on a good run, the opposite is true of Leicester.

Having done so well to stay up last campaign, Willie Kirk’s side took seven points from their opening three matches. But they’ve since added just three more points from their subsequent eight games.

The Foxes did create plenty of decent chances at Pirelli Stadium, mainly through new signing Yuka Momiki, who was playing in her first WSL match.

The Japan forward crossed for Shannon O’Brien, whose diving header was palmed away by Villa keeper Daphne Van Domselaar in the first half.

And after the restart, Momiki forced Van Domselaar into a diving save, and also set up Rose who smashed a close-range effort over the bar as the hosts finished strongly.

Leicester and Villa are both in League Cup action next on Wednesday, facing Everton and Sunderland respectively.