Japanese striker Riko Ueki headed home a late equaliser to help West Ham Women seal a draw at home against Liverpool and record their first point of the new WSL season.

Manager Rehanne Skinner made one change to the starting eleven that faced Manchester United in the Hammers opening game of the season with vice captain Shelina Zadorsky replacing Camila Saez.

Although West Ham started positively, it was the visitors who went in front seven minutes in thanks to Olivia Smith’s left footed curler which sailed into the bottom corner past Hammers shot stopper Kinga Szemik.

West Ham Women’s first real chance of the match came 24 minutes into the tie. Viv Asseyi was brought down on the edge of the box, the forwards resulting free kick was close but went just over landing on the roof of the net.

Rehanne Skinner’s side began to build momentum and had a couple of other opportunities to equalise before half time. In the opening few minutes of the second half, Liverpool threatened and pushed for a second goal, a strike from Ceri Holland curled just beyond the post and a few minutes later Shannon Cooke was forced to put behind Olivia Smith’s low cross.

The home side responded well to the visitors pressure. The Hammers had some joy out wide with crosses into the box. A smart one two with Anouk Denton saw Emma Harries whip a ball into the box. Her cross was met by Liverpool keeper Laws before it could find Viv Asseyi who was waiting to fire home the rebound.

The Hammers second half pressure would eventually pay off in the 86th minute. Riko Ueki met Amber Tysiak’s ball into the box, getting there first ahead of Liverpool’s keeper Laws and heading home to bring Rehanne Skinner’s side back in the game. Although there was a few minutes to play plus stoppage time, West Ham had to still work hard to secure the point and had their keeper Szemik to thank for keeping the score at 1-1.

Polish shot stopper Szemik parried substitute Leanne Kiernan’s near post effort away to safety before making an excellent reflex save to stop Taylor Hinds’ strike in the fourth minute of added time.

Speaking to the Club’s official website after the game, Hammers boss Rehanne Skinner was delighted her side was able to find a way back into the game and secure their first point of the season. “I thought it was a really hard fought game. Obviously we were disappointed to concede early on, but I think throughout the course of the game, after that, players dug in really deep. We adjusted a couple of things, and it created opportunities.” said Skinner, who went on to add: “I’m really proud of the group for the determination and resilience they showed. And, you know, there’s definitely opportunities before we scored where we could have had more goals as well.”