🏏 Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00 BST
Brighton Women
vs
Manchester City Women
Positions estimated (no formation data from the API)
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- Seven Japanese internationals are involved in this fixture, an unusual figure even for the WSL. Brighton start Takako Seike and Moeka Minami with 21-year-old Fuka Tsunoda on the bench, while Manchester City field Yui Hasegawa, Aoba Fujino and goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita from the first whistle, with Aimu Oyama among the substitutes.
- Brighton's Japanese contingent shares a single origin: all three came through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies. Seike swept the WE League's scoring title, MVP award and Best XI in 2023-24 before moving to England in 2024; Minami joined permanently from AS Roma in June 2025 and was reunited with her former Urawa team-mate; Tsunoda, who arrived in September 2025, won five domestic trophies at Urawa including back-to-back WE League titles.
- The midfield battle revolves around City's Yui Hasegawa. The Japan captain, a defensive midfielder who has passed 100 appearances for the club, refined her game at West Ham United and AC Milan before arriving in Manchester. How far Brighton's Maisie Symons and Australian Charlize Rule can restrict her positioning and passing range will shape the rhythm of the game.
- Both goalkeepers are their country's first choice. City's Ayaka Yamashita was named goalkeeper of the tournament at the 2026 Asian Cup and is known for her reflexes and positioning. Facing her is Chiamaka Nnadozie, Nigeria's 180cm number one, who signed from Paris FC in the summer of 2025 and collected a CAF award in 2025.
- One duel stands out within the Japan camp: 22-year-old Aoba Fujino against 27-year-old Moeka Minami. Fujino, a left winger who became Japan's youngest World Cup scorer in 2023 and a two-time WE League MVP, thrives running at defenders. Minami, a centre-back who helped AS Roma to consecutive Serie A Femminile titles and captained Japan at U-19 Asian Cup and U-20 World Cup level, must organise the line against her.
- Brighton's creative core is built on Chelsea pedigree. Fran Kirby, 32, nicknamed 'Mini Messi', won the PFA Player of the Year award twice in west London. Serbia's Jelena Cankovic, who arrived in the summer of 2024, lifted back-to-back WSL titles with Chelsea, and Chelsea academy graduate Maisie Symons, made captain in the summer of 2025, anchors the pair from deeper.
- City's spearhead is Khadija Shaw, one of the most feared strikers in the world. The Jamaica captain stands 180cm tall, shoots comfortably with both feet and dominates aerially. Brighton counter with Republic of Ireland centre-back Caitlin Hayes, signed from Celtic in January 2025, alongside Minami and left-footed Colombia international Manuela Vanegas.
- Set pieces could decide this one. City captain Alex Greenwood, a left-footed centre-back with 100 England caps, takes the penalties, free-kicks and corners. With Shaw and 178cm Canada international Jade Rose — a signing from San Diego Wave FC — attacking the box, the aerial contest against the equally tall Nnadozie is worth watching.
- Both benches carry serious weight. Brighton can call on Sweden's Rosa Kafaji, on loan from Arsenal after scoring 28 goals for BK Hacken, Norway's Aurora Tvedten, a two-time top scorer in the Toppserien who joined in January 2026, and 20-year-old Carla Camacho from Real Madrid. City hold Australia's Mary Fowler, working back from an ACL injury, and 33-year-old Leila Ouahabi, a Champions League winner with Barcelona.