Five Standout Games In LCFC Women’s Campaign

A tenth-placed finish in the WSL, a biggest points tally recorded in the top flight and an FA Cup Semi-Final; it’s been some year for the Foxes, who through all the highs and lows, continue to make strides in their ambition of becoming an established force in the women’s game.

Taking a look at some of those defining moments from the last eight months, here are our top five picks from the season gone.

New signings run riot

Bristol City 2 LCFC Women 4
Ashton Gate
Sunday 1 October, 2023
Aimee Palmer 45+2’, Jutta Rantala 49’, 83’, Lena Petermann 52’ / Carrie Jones 33’, Amalie Thestrup 85’

The dawn of a new season was upon us in early October, as City made the trip to face newly-promoted Bristol City, keen to make a mark on the top division themselves, and they did so by taking the lead through former Fox Carrie Jones half-an-hour in.

But Leicester had also been busy in the transfer window, naming six new faces in the starting XI, as well as Courtney Nevin and Janina Leitzig, who made their loan moves permanent.

Aimee Palmer scored City’s first goal of the campaign with a left-footed rocket from outside the box against her former club. After the break, Leicester’s debutants took centre stage, finding the net three more times through Lena Petermann and a brace from Jutta Rantala, who would go on to be the sides’ top scorer with 10 in all competitions. 

Amalie Thestrup’s late penalty wasn’t enough to disrupt the result, as the Club’s summer signings made seven goal contributions in total on the opening day – the season was off and running.

Shootout showdown in Manchester

Manchester City 2 LCFC Women 2
Joie Stadium
Wednesday 22 November, 2023
Janice Cayman 40’, Sophie Howard 44’ / Deyna Castellanos 49’, Laura Coombs 70’

With eight WSL points already to their name, Leicester headed north on a cold midweek in November to take on Manchester City in Group B of the Continental Tyres League Cup, where they already had a win on the board, beating Liverpool the month before.

Level approaching half-time at Joie Stadium, the Foxes took a two-goal lead inside four minutes through Janice Cayman, who hit seven in her debut season, and Sophie Howard, recently becoming the second-ever women's player to reach 100 appearances for the Club, shortly after Sam Tierney's accomplishment. 

Unfortunately for the Foxes, the hosts came back into the game through second-half goals from Deyna Castellanos and Laura Coombs resulting in a draw in Manchester. But in the League Cup, penalties followed to determine an extra point – and up stepped Leitzig.

The German shot-stopper, who quickly became a fan favourite during her loan spell from Bayern Munich last year, replaced Lize Kop late on in the game, just in time for the shootout.

What followed was an exceptional display from the ‘keeper, which resulted in her saving three of the five Man City penalties to ensure a first win over the Citizens for the Foxes.

Doing the double over the Robins

LCFC Women 5 Bristol City 2
Sunday 18 February, 2024
King Power Stadium
Yuka Momiki 33’, Saori Takarada 45+1’, Janice Cayman 54’, Jutta Rantala 76’, Denny Draper 89’ / Ffion Morgan 20’, Amalie Thestrup 49’

The fifth win of the New Year saw Leicester dispatch Bristol City for the second time this season, all but confirming their safety in the division if it wasn’t already, but once again it was the Robins to break the deadlock, this time through Ffion Morgan.

In the reverse fixture, the new signings took centre stage, and this occasion was no different, as Japanese duo Yuka Momiki and Saori Takarada, who joined the Club in January, netted first-half goals to turn the tides.

Thestrup levelled things up shortly after the interval, but Cayman was on hand to put the Foxes back in front, before the scoring was rounded off by Academy forward Denny Draper.

Having made her professional debut early in the season during a 1-1 draw with Manchester United, the in-form Under-21s’ striker came on with 10 minutes to go, caused havoc and netted a first WSL goal of her career. The future looks bright at Leicester City.

Through to the final four!

Liverpool 0 LCFC Women 2
Saturday 9 March, 2024
Prenton Park
Jutta Rantala 15’, 63’

We couldn’t discuss the top five games this season without including a historic win on Merseyside, could we? It was early March; hundreds of Leicester fans had made their way for an early kick-off at Prenton Park where the Foxes faced Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

It was a important moment, as Leicester knew that a win against the Reds would book their spot in the final four of the national competition, and things got off to a flyer when Finnish forward Rantala fired in from close range after Cayman’s initial shot struck the post.

The visitors continued to control the ball in the second half and doubled their lead through Rantala once more, just after the hour mark, confirming Leicester’s spot in the semi-finals for their first time in their history. Their fate was decided a few days later; a trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was next.

An FA Cup Semi-Final

Tottenham Hotspur 2 LCFC Women 1
Sunday 14 April, 2024
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Jutta Rantala 12’ / Jessica Naz 83’, Martha Thomas 118’

Now we know that it seems odd to include a loss in the top five games, but a first FA Cup Semi-Final, in front of a record away attendance, was worthy of an inclusion, and a chance to commend a valiant effort from the Foxes.

The big day was upon us, and around 2,000 of the Blue Army had made the trip to the capital from the East Midlands, and made their voices heard all afternoon, in the Spring sunshine, and once Rantala opened the scoring with an extraordinary strike from 30 yards out, the roof on the away end was blown off.

Continuing to fight, City created multiple opening’s but sadly, couldn’t take them, and Spurs got their chance to equalise with little over five minutes on the clock through Jessica Naz.

Into extra-time and the Foxes kept fighting, but the killer blow was struck two minutes from time by Martha Thomas. It was a heartbreaking end to an incredible run in the competition, but one that Leicester can be proud of, as they were lifted back up again by the fans’ amazing support.

It may not have been the season that Leicester were hoping for, but City have shown glimpses of what they were capable of, and done so on the biggest stage, making history along the way. The Club now prepare for another big summer of developments. Rome wasn't built in a day and LCFC Women already have strong foundations in place.