‘The season has been okay so far, but it could have been better. We will take the positives’, says West Ham ace Cissoko

HAWA CISSOKO is backing West Ham to ‘come back strong’ in the WSL when league clashes return in January following the festive break. 

The France centre-back said the Irons injured players have been missed following her goal scoring return to action after “getting a silly red card”.

GettyHawa Cissoko’s first goal in an Irons shirt helped West Ham secure their fifth match win in the league after 10 games played this term[/caption]

GettyPaul Konchesky’s players will be targeting a win against Brighton in their league cup group stage duel[/caption]

Cissoko, who has emerged as a favourite amongst her team’s supporters, was speaking after her first game for the Irons following a five-match ban

The centre-back, whose side play Brighton in the Conti Cup on Saturday, had been out of action after being sent off during West Ham’ 2-1 defeat of Villa. 

And she marked her return on Sunday by netting an impressive chipped effort during a 2-0 defeat of Tottenham.

It was the defender’s first goal since joining the club from French side Soyaux in 2020.

Cissoko, 25, told West Ham’s web site: “Sometimes you can be on teams where you don’t really like or care for the people that you’re playing alongside

 you work together because you have to. 

“In this team it’s only love, we all want to do well for each other and that’s why it’s so easy to play here.

“The season has been okay so far, but it could have been better.

“We’ve had a couple of injuries, and missed players – like myself getting a silly red card against Aston Villa. 

“We’re in a good place and we will take the positives from this season so far and come back strong.”

Cissoko’s goal was preceded by charging forward from near the halfway line after being teed up by her team-mate Viviane Asseyi. 

And it helped Paul Konchesky’s side clinch a win that saw them move up to fifth in the table and four points behind Manchester City before the Christmas break. 

The Irons and City will go head-to-head at the Chigwell Construction Stadium in their first WSL match in January. 

Of her first West Ham goal, Cissoko who has played in 37 WSL games since her 2020 move from French side Soyaux, added: “When I was running, I was like: ‘Should I have another touch, or do I open my body.’

ReutersKonchesky hopes to see his side pushing for a finish in the WSL’s top four in the future[/caption]

“I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to do because I am never one-on-one with the goalkeeper. 

“But when I saw the goalkeeper (Rebecca Spencer) out of the goal a little bit, I went for it and chipped her.

“We said before the game that we could not leave here without getting the three points, because we know how much this game means.”

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