Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester City

Aston Villa Women came from behind to beat Leicester City in their season opener on Saturday.

Two goals in two minutes, courtesy of Sarah Mayling and Remi Allen, turned the game around for Carla Ward’s side having gone behind in the first half.

Three points is all that matters on opening day, and Villa secured them in an impressive second-half display.

Ward gave competitive debuts to seven of her 10 summer signings.

20-year-old Hannah Hampton started between the posts, while Mayling, Meaghan Sargeant and Maz Pacheco made up three of the back four.

Former Leicester City player Allen captained Villa, with Alisha Lehmann and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah starting in attack.

The game got off to a fast-paced start, with both teams spurred on by their respective fans for the first time in over a year.

The first moment of note came courtesy of Hampton, who flung herself to produce a fingertip save from a well-struck Natasha Flint effort.

Minutes later, Jessica Sigsworth tried her luck but Hampton was once again equal to the attempt on goal.

Hampton would make a third stop before the break – her last one the best of the lot.

Flint controlled a headed clearance on the edge of the Villa area, before letting fly with a thunderous half-volley.

Hampton, though, with that impressive spring, flung once more to prevent the Foxes from finding the top corner.

For all of Hampton’s heroics, however, she will not want to remember the fashion in which the visitors took the lead inside 40 minutes.

Flint, forever confident, dug out a shot from distance which looked tame at best.

Hampton, however, suffered a lapse at the most critical of moments and parried the attempt into her goal to give Jonathan Morgan’s side first blood.

Elisha N’Dow came on for her 150^th appearance in claret & blue shortly after half-time, replacing the injured Sargeant.

Chances continued to come and go for the visiting side after the break, with Hampton producing a leg save to thwart Sigsworth in a one-on-one situation.

Villa would grow back into the game after a period of Leicester dominance, and they equalised in emphatic style on 63 minutes.

After Chloë Arthur was fouled 25 yards from the Foxes’ goal, Mayling stepped up to bend home and exquisite free-kick and queue scenes of jubilation.

Villa wouldn’t stop there, though. They were on the front foot immediately after the leveller, and Lehmann’s cross from the left-hand side was bundled home by Allen to complete a quickfire double.

Villa’s backline held firm throughout the closing stages, and they have got the 2021/22 campaign off to the perfect start.