Veatriki Sarri rescued a valuable point for Everton in the WSL as her late equaliser saw their first outing of 2025 end 1-1 against Aston Villa at Walton Hall Park.
The Toffees left it late to respond, having been set back midway through the first half by a commanding Rachel Daly header. But Sarri’s 89th-minute strike ensured both teams shared the points as she drilled her shot into the bottom-right corner.
Bolstered by a positive array of new signings, the Blues showed their depth from the start, with debuts for both Hayley Ladd and Barcelona loanee Martina Fernandez.
The away outfit began the game on the front foot, refreshed from their winter break and buoyed by a 9-0 thrashing of Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup, forcing the first save of the game in the 13th minute.
Ebony Salmon found herself in a golden position as she picked up a loose ball on the edge of the Everton box, sending an effort towards goal. However, Courtney Brosnan reminded everyone of her quality, reaching out to deflect the ball behind for a corner.
The Irish international was forced into two more saves almost instantly, doing well to remain alert and deny Villa once again.
Growing into the game, the Blues showed signs of promise and creativity with Ladd looking strong as she delivered a whipping cross to Lucy Hope, who knocked it towards Katja Snoeijs. Unfortunately, Sabrina D’Angelo was quick off her line to claim the ball.
But it didn’t take long for Villa’s pressure to turn into a goal. Noelle Maritz sent a hanging delivery towards Daly, who rose highest to head the ball into the bottom-right corner, sending the Blues into the break with a deficit to overcome.
Brian Sorensen looked to Kelly Gago and Emma Watson to build on the Toffee’s growing threat, with the French striker providing positive momentum almost instantly as her shot rose over the bar following a racing run down the right-hand flank.
Persisting in their search, Clare Wheeler nearly capitalised on a D’Angelo mistake, closing in on a shaky pass from the keeper at the edge of the penalty area, almost collecting the loose ball.
With ten minutes left to play, Sorensen introduced the final of five new signings, Louana Ribadeira, showcasing the added talent and squad depth from the transfer window to the fans.
Fortunately, it was one of the other substitutions that delivered the crucial goal for the Blues in the final minute of normal time. Sarri, who replaced Hope in the 74th minute, found the back of the net as she fired a clinical shot into the far corner from the edge of the 18-yard box.
This result sees The Toffees ninth in the table, five points clear of the relegation zone, as they look towards their next WSL outing against West Ham, who sit just below them.
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