West Ham loss hands Charlton 10th consecutive WSL defeat

Women's Super League West Ham United 2 - 0 Charlton Athletic FT Viviane Asseyi, right, has scored seven league goals this season - only Manchester City's Khadija Shaw (12) has more [Getty Images] Charlton Athletic became the first team in Women's Super League history to lose their opening 10 matches of the season as Viviane Asseyi inspired West Ham United to victory. The hosts opened the scoring just before half-time when Asseyi cut inside off the left, dribbled towards the edge of the area and curled an effort into the far corner. And she doubled her tally in style in the 53rd minute as her free-kick from 25 yards out found the top corner. Eighth-placed West Ham dominated the match and could have taken the lead sooner but goalkeeper Anna Koivunen did well to deny Leila Wandeler who had ran through the Charlton defence. France international Asseyi was denied a late hat-trick when her close-range strike following a corner was saved by the feet of Koivunen - and moments later the 32-year-old struck Ylinn Tennebo's low cross over the bar. Asseyi has seven league goals this season with only Manchester City's Khadija Shaw (12) ahead of her in the scoring charts. West Ham's win was marred by a late knee injury to Ffion Morgan with the Wales forward limping off the pitch unaided after a lengthy stoppage. Charlton's unwanted record Charlton were promoted to the WSL for the first time last season when the Addicks beat Leicester City on penalties in a promotion-relegation play-off. Previously the record for the worst start to a WSL season was held by Leicester who lost their first nine matches in 2021-22. Karen Hills' Charlton, who finished third in the WSL 2 last campaign, have scored just five goals and conceded 30. But they have come close to their first top-flight points since 2007-08 on a handful of occasions. They conceded in second-half stoppage time in 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace last week and narrowly lost 1-0 to defending champions Manchester City in September. Hills decided to start Finland keeper Koivunen in goal over regular stopper Sophie Whitehouse. This season the WSL expanded to 14 teams having been a 12-team league since 2019-20. Find interviews and extra content on the BBC Women's Football Weekly feed