MAN CITY WOMEN 2, CHELSEA LADIES 0
Manchester City were crowned The FA Women’s Super League champions for the first time after wrestling the title off reigning champions Chelsea.
And it was fitting that it was victory against Chelsea in a battle of the WSL’s top two that sealed their triumph in front of a record crowd of 4,096.
City, unbeaten all season in the league, extended the sequence to 15 games with goals from Jill Scott – some debited it as a Katie Chapman own goal – and Toni Duggan penalty.
Manager Nick Cushing admitted winning the WSL in only their third season in the WSL had “exceeded my expectations”.
It has been a phenomenal rise by City as they have overhauled Chelsea and Arsenal, the two traditional powerhouses of the women’s game.
In the wake of what was resting on the outcome – City needed one point from their penultimate league game to be crowned champions – the opening half was not surprisingly a cagey and tentative affair.
Both sides had penalty appeals – Karen Carney for Chelsea and Jill Scott for City.
Jane Ross forced a diving save from Chelsea keeper Rebecca Spencer before City broke the deadlock after 34 minutes.
And there was doubt over the scorer as Scott and Chapman challenged for a corner.
Initially it looked as though Scott had headed home, but replays suggested Chapman diverted the ball past her own keeper.
City doubled their advantage and effectively sealed victory within five minutes of the restart.
Lucy Bronze, burst forward, was upended in the penalty area by Gilly Flaherty with Duggan coolly slotting hom the spot kick.
City might have won by a wider magin as Nikita Paris, Izzy Christiansen and Kosovare Asllani had presentable chances to add a third goal.