Kenza Dali continues good form with goal in Aston Villa Women win v Everton
Kenza Dali has been in quite sensational form for Aston Villa Women this season and continued on her merry way when netting the opening goal in the victory over Everton on Sunday (5 March).
The Villans stretched their unbeaten run in the Women’s Super League to five games with a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Toffees, which moved them just three points behind Arsenal – albeit with the Gunners holding two games in hand.
Dali, 31, scored the opener after just five minutes when Rachel Daly teed her up to strike home from the edge of the box after some smart work from Kirsty Hanson down the left wing.
The France international’s goal took her tally for the season to six goals and ten assists from just 21 games after moving to the West Midlands last summer.
Dali has become central to Carla Ward’s attacking framework this term and has quickly become the player who knits together every single attack from her attacking midfield role.
Against Everton, the 31-year-old covered every blade of grass, touching the ball a team-high 77 times, completing 41 of her 60 passes and recording eight ball recoveries – highlighting she isn’t afraid to do the dirty work in defence. [Fotmob]
However, her importance to Villa in the final third cannot be understated. Dali’s telepathic connection with Daly in and around the penalty area was something that Ward wouldn’t have expected when signing the pair last summer but something that has become integral to Villa’s attacking patterns.
Together, Dali’s superb vision and Daly’s potent finishing are a tough combination to halt.
Picking up positions in the pockets of space in between the Toffees’ midfield and defensive lines, Dali completed seven passes into the final third – which was only bettered by Hanson’s nine – and she also created two chances from midfield.
Aston Villa’s chances of cementing themselves within the WSL’s top-five this season and going deep into the FA Women’s Cup could well hinge on the fitness and form of Dali.
In other Aston Villa news, one of the club’s rising stars can end a barren academy run going back to Jack Grealish.