Kaminski hails ‘outstanding’ first WSL win
Laura Kaminski says Crystal Palace Women deserve tremendous credit for securing a first-ever Women’s Super League victory in just their third match in the division.
The Eagles suffered back-to-back heavy defeats to Tottenham and Chelsea at the start of the WSL season, but produced a dominant display at the King Power Stadium to see off Leicester City 2-0 on Sunday.
Head coach Kaminski beamed: “I'm so proud of the group. I'm proud of everyone involved with the club.
“We've been through a bit of a rough start in the WSL, so I thought today the players really deserved the three points. I thought our performance was on top and the group really deserved that after everything they've been through in terms of pre-season and the first few games.
“We had a rude awakening to the intensity [of the WSL] – and I thought today we were outstanding.”
The source of Palace’s first two goals in the top-flight was Annabel Blanchard, one of the Eagles’ standout performers in the Championship last season once again taking centre stage.
The No. 10 linked up wonderfully with Katie Stengel to sweep home Palace’s first from just inside the area, before coolly dispatching a penalty after Lexi Potter was brought down in the box.
“I'm so proud of her,” Kaminski said of Blanchard. “I think, again, she's been through a rough start. She was by far one of the most outstanding players I think the Championship have ever seen.
“That doesn't mean you can always transfer that into the WSL. That is an extremely difficult task and really, she deserves credit today, because to do that and step up for her team today was a pleasure to see.”
On her team’s defensive shape, after they kept a first clean sheet of the season, Kaminski reflected: “I thought we lost it in patches where we defended deep and obviously, we'll go away and look at that. But I was really proud of how they executed what we asked them to do in terms of getting pressure on the ball a little bit higher up the pitch with the No. 10s and the wingers working with the No. 9.
“We've spoken about how sometimes shapes can have limitations and how what we can do around working around those individuals can really help support them with our numbers and getting pressure on the ball.
“I was very proud of that today and it shows, again, how the players reflect, review and then came out today and applied it to the money, so I'm very pleased.”
Palace’s next match is at home to Brighton & Hove Albion this coming Sunday (13th October, 14:00 BST kick-off), with tickets available here for the clash at the VBS Community Stadium, before a trip to face Liverpool Women before the first international break of the season.
Kaminski said: “I've already spoken to [the players] about not being too high with the highs and too low with the lows. That's been key for the previous games that we've unfortunately lost, and I've encouraged the players not to be too low in those moments.
“We will keep our feet firmly on the ground and be working just as hard for the next two fixtures, again, changing a little and tweaking as we go.
“We learn more and more about the group every week. But now we've got something to go after. We know they can do it. It's keeping them in a good place, keeping them motivated.
“But today has been a turn and a reward and it will help their confidence, no doubt.”