Birmingham Women 3-3 Crystal Palace Women: Six-Goal Thriller Ends All Square

In a pulsating FA Women's Super League encounter at St Andrew's, Birmingham Women and Crystal Palace Women played out a dramatic 3-3 draw on Sunday evening. The six-goal thriller saw the lead change hands twice, with the visitors grabbing a late equaliser to deny Birmingham all three points.

Match Overview

Date: Sunday, 27 September 2026 | Kick-off: 21:00 | Venue: St Andrew's, Birmingham | Competition: FA Women's Super League

Birmingham Women came into the game looking to build on a solid start to the season, while Crystal Palace Women aimed to climb the table with a positive result on the road. The atmosphere was electric as both sets of fans created a vibrant backdrop for what turned out to be one of the most entertaining matches of the weekend.

Key Moments

• 12' – Birmingham take the lead through Ellie Mason's powerful header from a corner.
• 28' – Crystal Palace equalise as Chloe Arthur curls a shot into the bottom corner.
• 45+2' – Birmingham restore their advantage just before half-time, Rebecca Holloway converting a penalty after a foul in the box.
• 58' – Palace level again, Gemma Bryan finishing off a swift counter-attack.
• 72' – Birmingham edge ahead for the third time, Sophie Phillips slots home from close range.
• 88' – Crystal Palace snatch a dramatic equaliser through Lauren Payne's header.

Tactical Story

Birmingham set up in a 4-3-3 formation, looking to press high and force errors from the Palace defence. Their midfield trio worked tirelessly to win the ball back quickly, and it paid off with two of their three goals coming from turnovers. However, Crystal Palace's resilience and counter-attacking threat kept them in the game. The visitors switched to a 3-5-2 in the second half, which allowed their wing-backs to push higher and create overloads out wide. That adjustment led to their late equaliser, as Birmingham struggled to deal with the increased width.

Standout Players

Ellie Mason was a rock at the back for Birmingham, not only scoring the opener but also making several crucial interceptions. For Crystal Palace, Chloe Arthur was the driving force in midfield, dictating the tempo and scoring a superb goal. Lauren Payne's late header capped a tireless performance up front.

What It Means for the Table

The draw leaves Birmingham Women in eighth place with four points from three games, while Crystal Palace Women sit just below them on goal difference. Both teams will feel they could have won it, but the point apiece keeps them in touching distance of the top half. Next up, Birmingham travel to face Manchester United, while Palace host Brighton & Hove Albion.