Crystal Palace Women secured a 1-0 victory over Everton in the opening round of the Women's Super League regular season on Sunday. L. Lloyd-Smith struck in the thirty-fourth minute to settle the contest at Selhurst Park. The result extends Palace's momentum after a run of positive results, while Everton's search for consistency continues.
Lloyd-Smith's goal came from sustained pressure, and Palace held their nerve after the break. Everton pushed forward with more urgency, but the hosts were disciplined in defence. Three yellow cards fell to Palace players, while Everton picked up two bookings in restless periods. T. Goldie, M. Bartrip, and Z. Kramzar went off for the visitors, with Kramzar making way for H. Blundell after the hour mark.
The statistics tell a story of Everton domination without the ball finding the net. They controlled 60 per cent of possession and launched 97 attacks compared to Palace's 67. Yet their shooting accuracy sat at a mere 0.14, with two shots on target and five saves from the Palace goalkeeper. By then, the match had already been shaped in the first half.
Palace's defensive structure was tested but held firm. They made 29 clearances and won 14 tackles, while Everton's goalkeeper was called into action five times. The visitors created two big chances but could not convert, whereas Palace managed one. And here's the thing about these opening rounds — the table goes out of the window in these games.
Everton sit eighth on 23 points from 22 matches, a position that reflects their inconsistent campaign. Palace, meanwhile, arrived with momentum from recent victories including a 6-1 demolition of Portsmouth. This was a result built on patience rather than dominance, and one that could prove significant as the season develops.
