Aston Villa secured their first win of the 2026/27 season with a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in their opening Subway Players Cup fixture at the City Ground.
Second-half substitutes Maya Hijikata and Chasity Grant scored the goals for Natalia Arroyo’s side after Nottingham Forest had kept the Women’s Super League visitors level throughout the opening hour.
Match details Nottingham Forest 0-2 Aston Villa
Goals: Maya Hijikata 63′, Chasity Grant 83′
Competition: Subway Players Cup
Venue: City Ground
Date: Wednesday 23 September 2026
Aston Villa made to wait for breakthrough
Arroyo made six changes from the Aston Villa team that drew 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion in the WSL, with Rachel Maltby making her first start of the season following her return from the U20 World Cup.
The match took time to open up, but Nottingham Forest almost took advantage of a Villa mistake after 20 minutes. Goalkeeper Akane Okuma saw an attempted clearance charged down by Deanne Rose, with the ball rebounding against the post and behind.
Villa responded immediately. Lily Murphy broke down the left and found Mia McAulay inside the six-yard box, but Emily Batty denied her before Chloe Mustaki blocked Georgia Mullett’s follow-up.
Aston Villa increasingly took control as the first half progressed. Océane Deslandes caused problems with her deliveries from set pieces, while Anna Patten headed narrowly wide from one corner.
Murphy then had one of Villa’s best opportunities before half-time after meeting a cross in a central position, but she sent her effort over the crossbar. The teams went into the interval goalless.
Hijikata and Grant make the difference
Villa continued to push after the restart, but Arroyo eventually turned to her bench with the deadlock still intact.
Maya Hijikata and Amalie Vangsgaard entered around the hour mark, and Hijikata needed only three minutes to make an impact. The Japanese midfielder found space on the edge of the penalty area and lifted her finish beyond Batty into the top corner to give Aston Villa a 1-0 lead in the 63rd minute.
Chasity Grant was introduced shortly afterwards and added the second in the 83rd minute. The Dutch international beat her marker, worked her way into the box and saw her effort deflect inside the near post.
Nottingham Forest continued searching for a response, forcing Okuma into a late save, but Villa held on to secure both the victory and their first clean sheet of the season.
The result gives Aston Villa a winning start to their Subway Players Cup campaign and, more importantly, their first victory of 2026/27 after beginning the WSL season without a win. Arroyo’s side now return to league action with another away fixture, travelling to Brisbane Road to face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
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