Aston Villa 0-1 Manchester United

Aston Villa's seven-game unbeaten run came to an end with a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Women's Super League on Sunday. 

A back post header from Julia Zigiotti midway through the second half proved for the visitors to claim the points from a tight encounter.

Villa will look to bounce back next weekend when they host Second City rivals Birmingham City in the WSL at Villa Park.

BUY TICKETS NOW

It was a poignant start to the afternoon at Villa Park, as players, staff and supporters of both clubs came together to mark Remembrance Sunday ahead of kick off.

10 personnel representing the Army, the Royal Air Force and veterans began a military parade with a march from the tunnel to the centre circle, before a reading of 'For the Fallen'. 

Three wreaths were laid on the centre circle, followed by a period of silence, and the tributes culminated with a rendition of The Last Post.

Each team also sported the poppy symbol on their match attire, with Villa wearing black poppy armbands as they did at Arsenal last week, and the visitors having the symbol embroidered on their match shirt.

A shirt with a poppy patch and signed by the Villa women's first team squad is being auctioned to raise funds to support the Royal British Legion and their work.

With just one change made by interim head coach Brian Sørensen from the draw at Arsenal last time out, a confident Villa claimed the early impetus.

Striker Amalie Vangsgaard made a dangerous dart into the left channel after three minutes, before picking out a superb cross into the middle. However Chasity Grant and Lucia Kendall were unable to get a telling touch in the six yard box.

A period of Manchester United pressure followed, as the visitors looked to grow into the encounter themselves.

Goalkeeper Akane Okuma prevented them taking the lead by palming Simi Awujo's flicked header round the post at a set piece. 

Then midfielders Hinata Miyazawa and Ella Toone aimed efforts at the Villa goal, though the closest they came to troubling Okuma was when Miyazawa's effort crashed back out off the crossbar.

As the first half wore on the teams continued to exchange attempts but neither could find a way to break the deadlock. 

A swift Villa counter attack resulted in Vangsgaard setting skipper Kendall in for a near post snapshot, though her tame effort was well blocked by Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

At the other end United were denied an opener by superb defending from Mathilde Harviken and Lucy Parker, with the former launching into a last-ditch tackle to prevent Elisabeth Terland flicking goalwards at the near post.

Just before the half time whistle Parker capped an outstanding first half display on her return with brilliant driving run out of defence.

She jinked past several Manchester United midfielders to set Vangsgaard running into the left channel, though the Dane's cross was sent behind by a Maya Le Tissier block.

Two corners followed for Villa as a half time lead beckoned, but they were unable to take advantage of either as the score remained locked at 0-0 into the interval.

Both teams came out for the second half with renewed vigor and intensity. 

In identical fashion to the first half hosts Villa had the better of the opening exchanges, though Kendall's cross-goal drive was parried away by Tullis-Joyce.

The United stopper returned to deny the hosts ten minutes later, when Oriane Jean-François's edge of the box shot looped high towards the top corner, and she replied with a fingertip save.

Soon after Grant spurned a golden chance to put Villa into the lead, skewing her right footed shot over the upright from an angle after escaping the United defence.

As the clock ticked over the hour mark there was a popular reintroduction that drew rapturous applause from the home crowd.

Midfielder Jill Baijings replaced Justine Kielland as part of a double Villa switch, coming on for her first appearance since suffering an ACL injury in September 2025.

Yet while the home side readjusted shape, Manchester United found the net, as top scorer Julia Zigiotti stole in at the back post to power a header beyond Okuma's left hand.

After falling behind Villa boss Sørensen turned to his bench again, calling on Georgia Mullett, Missy Bo Kearns and Rofiat Imuran, though despite their best efforts, they were unable to encourage the side to find a leveller.

The final whistle sounded to mark Villa's first defeat in seven games, since a 4-0 loss at Tottenham in September.

The side will look to get back to winning ways next weekend in the WSL, when local rivals Birmingham City cross town for the Second City derby.