MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 3, EVERTON LADIES 0
A quickfire brace of goals in the second half calmed Manchester City nerves as they beat Everton Ladies 3-0 and qualified for next season’s Women’s Champions League after finishing second in WSL1 following Jill Scott goals either side of a Nikita Parris finish.
City boss Nick Cushing made just one change from the 5-0 win over Yeovil Town last Wednesday, with Mie Jans coming in for Esme Morgan as Manchester City aimed to win to guarantee Champions League football for next season.
Arsenal did their bit in the race for second place, comfortably leading 5-0 at Bristol City at half time, but City had a more tense afternoon against Everton until they pulled away with the extra goals.
Toffees defender Siri Worm was wayward with a couple of free kicks while Nikita Parris blazed the ball over from Claire Emslie’s cutback from the left in a goalless opening.
Everton had good chances to score though, with Jen Beattie booked for a last ditch tackle to prevent Danielle Turner from getting away from her while the fleet footed Everton forward was later denied by a brave dive at her feet by Karen Bardsley as she raced into the area with the ball.
Beattie’s layoff to Parris saw the England winger’s fierce shot blocked by Kirstie Levell but the Everton ‘keeper couldn’t stop Jill Scott’s rocket into the top corner in the 22nd minute as City broke the deadlock.
City could have doubled their lead soon after when Mel Lawley’s raking pass found Emslie on the left flank but her cross was just in front of Parris.
Everton briefly threatened again, with Bardsley called on to save a shot by Courtney Sweetman-Kirk, but City were pulling ahead on chances with Georgia Stanway’s long range effort was just wide while Parris and Scott saw their headers go wide and Scott had one saved on the line by Levell as City outbattled their visitors.
Stanway’s ball into the centre saw Parris’ chance go wide just before the break with City in their stride.
Jill Scott and Nikita Parris make sure of European football next season for Manchester City Women
City remained comfortable in the second half, with Steph Houghton’s free kick sailing over the bar but City doubled their lead when Nikita Parris volleyed in their second of the game on 57 minutes after Lawley’s cross was headed into her path by Stanway.
Sweetman-Kirk’s header was saved by Bardsley as Everton reacted quickly to the setback with an attack of their own a couple of minutes later but City made it 3-0 quickly when Scott slid in City’s third just before the hour mark following a short goal kick by Levell to Marthe Munsterman who tried to pass it back to her ‘keeper only for Scott to react first and slide the ball past Levell.
Everton made a change, with Worm making way for Elise Hughes after 65 minutes while goalscorers Parris and Scott were replaced by Nadia Nadim and Izzy Christiansen with City now in control of the game.
Christiansen could have made it 4-0 after lifting Lawley’s cutback over the goal as Levell and Everton were put under continual pressure by City who finished the game comfortably in control of their Champions League destiny with Houghton’s header cleared off the Everton line in the dying minutes.
MAN CITY WOMEN 3, EVERTON 0 – MATCH STATS
Man City Women: Bardsley, Jans, Beattie, Houghton, McManus, Walsh, Scott (Christiansen 72), Stanway, Emslie, Lawley, Parris (Nadim 72)
Man City Women Subs not used: Roebuck, Morgan, Ross, Middag, Toone
Booked: Beattie 11
Goals: Scott (22, 60), Parris 57
Everton Ladies: Levell, Turner, Worm (Hughes 65), George, Brett, Munsterman, Hinds, Sweetman-Kirk, Finnigan, Green, Bryson
Everton Ladies Subs not used: Doyle, Wilson
Attendance 1,605