MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 2, LSK KVINNER 1 (City win the tie 7-1 on aggregate)
Second half goals by Izzy Christiansen and Nikita Parris ensured Manchester City’s women’s side recorded an 11th consecutive win for the season as they beat LSK Kvinner after falling behind to an early goal.
Although City were in little danger of a Champions League upset Marte Berget’s early goal will have sounded a warning call to Nick Cushing’s side who were frustrated by the visitors in the first half.
City didn’t reap the rewards of their play until an eventful second half when they lost Megan Campbell to injury and City ‘keeper Ellie Roebuck made two crucial saves to keep the Blues in the game they went on to win.
Roebuck had kept her place in a strong City lineup showing just two changes from the side that comprehensively beat Bristol City on Sunday.
Demi Stokes moved up to left wing to accommodate Campbell at left back after she replaced Mel Lawley while Nikita Parris became the main striker after she came in for Jane Ross as City boss Nick Cushing was true to his word in naming a strong side for the game against LSK Kvinner who brought a small but vocal following with them to Manchester.
The visitors certainly stepped up their game since the first leg and threatened to end City’s 100% record this season.
City had a host of chances to score with Campbell behind a lot of early set pieces including a corner that Houghton thought she had bundled over the line but for a goal line save by Cecilie Fiskerstrand.
Fiskerstrand also prevented Demi Stokes from dinking the ball over her when clean through and had blocked a very early chance for Jill Scott after Parris had provided a golden opportunity to score in just the second minute.
Ellie Roebuck in the City goal saved from Synne Skinnes Hansen but couldn’t prevent LSK from opening the scoring in the 17th minute when Marte Berget latched onto a cross from the left by Emilie Haavi.
Keira Walsh’s dipping volley was just over while Stokes crossed for Nikita Parris who headed wide as City tried to get back into the game.
City remained sloppy, though, and almost succumbed to a second goal following a poor clearance but Guro Reiten shot wide and saw a great chance to equalise by Christiansen go to waste while Scott also blazed over to underline a frustrating first half.
Things changed very quickly in the second half, and City quickly restored parity with a superb counter attack.
Izzy Christiansen swept home the ball after Nikita Parris slipped the ball to her following a darting run by Claire Emslie down City’s right flank barely a minute after the restart.
It was an incredible ninth goal of the season to continue herlecent rich vein of scoring form for the City midfielder.
City were hit by an injury blow shortly after the goal, though, when Campbell went down following a tussle with an LSK player. There was a lengthy stoppage before stretcher bearers took her off the pitch and she was replaced by Melissa Lawley.
City were somewhat deflated after Campbell’s injury and had Roebuck to thank for a save from Hansen which bounced away off the bar from Haavi’s corner in the 67th minute as LSK while Haavi saw a shot go wide.
Fortunately, City got the goal that their earlier play had deserved when Parris converted Lawley’s cutback to put the Blues into the lead after 73 minutes – her fifth strike of the season.
There was also time for Mie Jans to make her debut late in the game as City saw out the game with a brilliant late save by Roebuck to tip over a Haavi free kick.
MATCH STATS
Man City Women: Roebuck, McManus (Jans 78), Houghton, Beattie, Campbell (Lawley 57), Walsh, Emslie (Ross, 68), Scott, Christiansen, Stokes, Parris
Man City Women Subs: Jans, Lawley, Stanway, Morgan, Ross, Toone, Hourihan
Goals: Christiansen 47, Parris 73
Booking: Christiansen 79
LSK Kvinner: Fiskerstrand, Moe Wold, Westerlund, Brenn, Westerlund, Bachor, Spord (Kvernvolden 70), Reiten, Skinnes Hansen, Berget (Takara 70), Haavi
LSK Kvinner Subs: Kvernvolden, Lauve, Woldvik, Takara, Haug
Goal: Berget 17
Attendance: 720