Everton head coach Brian Sorenson has hailed summer signing Ornella Vignola after she scored a hat-trick on her debut in the Merseyside Derby against Liverpool.
The Toffees got their Women’s Super League campaign off to the perfect start, with a 4-1 victory at Anfield.
Liverpool had taken the lead through Cornelia Kapocs, before goals from Vignola and Katja Snoeijs put the visitors ahead going into half-time.
Vignola then scored a further two goals in the first 11 minutes of the second-half to seal a memorable hat-trick.
She became the first player in Everton club history to score a hat-trick in the Merseyside Derby since Dixie Dean for the men’s side in September 1931.
What Everton manager Brian Sorenson said about Ornella Vignola’s debut hat-trick
Everton head coach Brian Sorenson said Ornella Vignola was ‘superb’ after her hat-trick in the Merseyside Derby.
Vignola joined the Toffees during the summer from Spanish side Granada. Sorensen said if Vignola can continue her good work, then the Toffees have a ‘very good player on our hands’.
He said: “Her runs are so well-timed and the way she faces up and goes at players, she is excellent. She just wants to score.
“I said to her afterwards that she has set the benchmark for what I want to see. She is still a young player though, so let’s see.
“When you are that young, it’s hard to predict. It’s all about consistency from players and the team.”
Sorensen added: “She’s so hungry in everything that she does. She keeps her head down and really just works until she is almost passing out. I’m not worried about that. She’s such a great character so we will see how she reacts in the next couple of games.
“If Ornella can continue like she did here week in week out, then we have a very good player on our hands.”
Who is Ornella Vignola?
Everton signed Ornella Vignola from Spanish side Granada during the summer transfer window.
Vignola, 20, was born in Uruguay, but moved to Spain at the age of one, and has played for Spain’s youth teams.
During her time in Spain, she also played Malaga, Barcelona, Sevilla and Alaves.
She became a first-team regular when she joined Granada in 2023, scoring six goals in 53 appearances.
In just one game, she has scored half the total of goals at Everton as she did at Granada.
It was an excellent debut for Vignola in the Merseyside Derby, as Everton picked up a huge win at the home of their biggest rivals.
Liverpool boss Gareth Taylor insisted his side ‘don’t want to receive scorelines like that’ after a difficult first game in charge of the Reds.
