'hungry' Vignola's Dream Debut Shows Everton Potential

An "exceptional performance" was nan cleanable measurement for Ornella Vignola to denote herself connected nan Women's Super League stage.

On her Everton debut against metropolis rivals Liverpool astatine their iconic Anfield stadium, she scored 3 goals.

The 20-year-old's hat-trick successful a 4-1 triumph was besides nan first clip an Evertonian had scored 3 successful a Merseyside derby since nan legendary Dixie Dean successful September 1931.

Vignola arrived from Spanish broadside Granada successful nan summer, 1 of 9 additions to nan Everton squad successful a big-spending summertime transportation window.

Brian Sorensen's broadside person ambitions to climb up nan array and yet commencement making a dent connected nan Women's Super League, having been cash-strapped for respective years and finishing 5th astatine their highest constituent backmost successful nan 2020-21 campaign.

Now, nether nan ownership of The Friedkin Group, they person been capable to put successful nan squad to push connected and Vignola looks nan prime of nan bunch.

"I'm really happy to person started nan play that way, particularly present against Liverpool," said nan forward, calved successful Uruguay but who has represented Spain astatine younker level.

"It was really exciting, and it made it moreover amended that it was a derby hat-trick. I'm excited for play ahead."

Liverpool had taken a 12th-minute lead astatine Anfield done Cornelia Kapocs and were good connected top.

But Vignola's infinitesimal of magic successful nan 24th infinitesimal dragged her broadside backmost into nan game.

She raced past midfielder Ceri Holland, carrying nan shot from nan halfway statement towards Liverpool's area, and fired it past goalkeeper Faye Kirby from a tight angle.

It was nan spark Everton needed and Katja Snoeijs' header connected nan changeable of half-time meant they went successful astatine nan break 2-1 up contempt being heavy outplayed.

Toffees leader Brian Sorensen admitted: "In shot location are things that hap that tin alteration things successful a crippled astatine nan flip of a coin. She brought america backmost from a very heavy place.

"I knew that we would travel backmost then. I deliberation that infinitesimal changed nan game."

And really Everton came back. Sorensen switched things up astatine half-time, introducing nine grounds signing Ruby Mace successful midfield and added acquisition successful defence.

Vignola, who made 2 appearances for Barcelona astatine nan commencement of her career, was braced for her opportunity 9 minutes aft nan restart.

She sewage 2 successful arsenic galore minutes and scored both. Suddenly, Everton were 4-1 up and good connected people to extending their unbeaten tally successful this fixture to 8 games.

Did Sorensen expect Vignola to person specified an impact?

"No! Not 3 goals from her," he added. "I expected her to people which is why I started her. She was superb and she has been for illustration that successful training.

"Her runs are truthful well-timed and nan measurement she faces up and goes astatine players, she is excellent. She conscionable wants to score.

"I said to her afterwards she has group nan benchmark for what I want to see. She is still a young subordinate though, truthful let's see. Today was a bully debut."

The Merseyside derby triumph was nan cleanable commencement to Everton's play wherever optimism astir nan nine has grown pursuing nan women's team's imperishable move to historical stadium Goodison Park.

Dutch guardant Snoeijs was besides afloat of praise for Vignola afterwards, describing her effect astatine nan nine arsenic "amazing" and stated location were "more goals to travel from her".

But Sorensen hoped Vignola could support a level caput aft specified a dream start.

"When you are that young, it's difficult to predict," he said. "It's each astir consistency from players. That was what nan summertime was about.

"How tin we build a squad that has precocious worth successful young players we could grow? For me, Vignola, if she tin proceed for illustration she did coming week successful and week out, past we person a very bully subordinate connected our hands.

"She's truthful quiet successful everything that she does. She keeps her caput down and really conscionable useful until she is almost passing out. I'm not worried astir it."

The youngster has ne'er played shot extracurricular of Spain, having spent 2 years astatine Barcelona betwixt 2020 and 2022 earlier spells astatine Sevilla, Alaves and Granada.

Vignola has predominantly played arsenic a winger but was Everton's number 9 astatine Anfield aft impressing successful nan domiciled during pre-season.

"She's been brilliant. She scored 2 goals successful pre-season for Everton arsenic well," said erstwhile England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"She's a young winger pinch pace, power and skill. She tin return nan shot connected her correct and past quickly chop wrong connected her left.

"I deliberation she's going to beryllium an breathtaking focal constituent pinch loads and loads of potential. She's really stood retired and her capacity was exceptional."