Everton returned from the international break with an excellent 1-0 win away to West Ham United on Sunday afternoon.

It was the Toffees' first win on West Ham soil since 2019, and it took a performance full of perseverance, composure and character to get maximum points over the line.

Danish twins Karen and Sara Holmgaard linked up for the winning strike. The former heading home from her sister's corner kick. 

Boss Brian Sorensen made three changes to the side that beat Aston Villa last time out. Katrine Veje and Justine Vanhaevermaet two of the absentees in the Everton squad after sustaining injuries whilst representing their respective nations. 

One of the players who came into the starting line-up was Toni Duggan who came closest to an opener for the visitors in the first half. 

Katja Snoeijs' back-heel arrived into the path of Hanna Bennison. She slid the ball down the right for Duggan who cut onto her left foot inside the area to shoot, but her effort arrived inches wide of the far top corner. 

West Ham enjoyed chances of their own, with an effort on the hour mark calling upon Courtney Brosnan to produce a world class save.

The ball arrived into the path of Riko Ueki who shot first time down the right. Brosnan was at full stretch to tip the ball onto the post as Karen Holmgaard cleared it away shortly after.

With a crucial stop at one end, the Blues proved clinical two minutes later on the opposite side.

Sara Holmgaard played the ball from the corner flag to find her sister at the back post. Karen Holmgaard's fine header brushing past Megan Walsh to give Everton the lead.

From there, it was a test of the Toffees' maturity to see out the result, a test which they passed with flying colours.

Everton are now only a point off their tally at the end of 2022, and next week's final outing of the calendar year against Manchester City presents the perfect opportunity for the squad to match or even exceed last year's total.