Manchester City Women 3, Liverpool Women 0 (Women’s FA Cup Quarter Final)
Goals by Janine Beckie and Georgia Stanway saw Manchester City Women beat Liverpool Women to qualify for the semi finals of the Women’s FA Cup.
Canadian striker Beckie’s goal will have been of interest to watching England manager Phil Neville – who have a game against Canada on April 5 at the City Football Academy.
Beckie was replaced by England forward Georgia Stanway who added energy to City’s attack and duly scored the second after being put through by Nikita Parris before following that up with a late third.
City had a golden opportunity to go 1-0 up in the second minute when Nikita Parris won the ball of a Liverpool defender before squaring it to Janine Beckie but the Canadian striker sliced the ball wide from in front of the goal.
The home side were as sloppy in possession as the visitors, allowing them chances to attack when losing the ball.
Rinsolay Babajide was a dangerous outlet for Liverpool – she outpaced the City defence on the break and her square pass to release Courtney Sweetman-Kirk would have put the Liverpool striker clean through but Jen Beattie intercepted the ball with well timed slide.
Liverpool kept testing City’s resolve with long shots by Laura Coombs and Babajide that were going wide after the Blues had lost the ball.
But it was City who broke the deadlock.
Steph Houghton had sent a dipping free kick over the bar earlier but Beckie was clinical with a rising strike into the roof of the net after a layoff by Caroline Weir in the 25th minute.
City were still loose with their passing and Liverpool continued to be a danger.
Jen Beattie keeps Man City Women in the game with clearing tackles
Beattie was in there again with another covering tackle in the City area after Babajide had got the better of Houghton and raced towards goal.
Babajide also forced Karen Bardsley into a save as Liverpool continued to make the best of City’s mistakes.
Parris headed over from Demi Stokes’ deep cross from the left on a rare City breakthrough.
Sweetman-Kirk was offside after being put through by Coombs after the break with City looking a little nervy in the second half as the rain started to pour.
City’s attempts to get a second were floundering with Liverpool’s deep lying defence blocking out any attempt to get past them in the second half.
And neither side could make a break through as the second half became a midfield battle.
Nick Cushing made a change after 65 minutes, bringing on Georgia Stanway for Janine Beckie.
Georgia Stanway strikes finish the tie off for Manchester City Women
City had more energy in the side immediately and won a free kick 30 yards out which Houghton landed on the roof of the net.
And Stanway was on the scoresheet after 69 minutes when Parris was released from midfield by Keira Walsh and unselfishly put her team mate clean through with a square pass – and the livewire forward dodged Anke Preuss to score from 7 yards.
Stanway also fired wide as Liverpool reeled from the blow of going 2-0 down.
And Stanway also released Parris with a long pass but a Liverpool defender poked a foot out to divert the ball as the England striker looked to round her for a shot on goal.
City finished strongly and in full control of the game after Claire Emslie and Lauren Hemp came on for Weir and Wullaert.
City had a third goal chalked off after Parris was flagged offside after she poked a long pass into the area past Preuss with 12 minutes to go.
But Stanway had the last word after she scored a 25 yard screamer with 2 minutes to go to finish off the Reds after Emslie terrorised the Liverpool defence and then laid the ball off to her fellow substitute.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 3, Liverpool Women 0 (Women’s FA Cup Quarter Final)
Man City Women 1, Liverpool Women 0: 25. Janine Beckie rifled the ball into the roof of the net from wide on the right of the 6 yard box after Caroline Weir nudged the ball into her path.
Man City Women 2. Liverpool Women 0: 69. Nikita Parris was unselfish and put Georgia Stanway clean through after a 2v1 break created by Keira Walsh’s through ball from midfield. The England youngster duly doubled the City advantage.
Man City Women 3, Liverpool Women 0: 88. Georgia Stanway scored a 25 yard screamer with 2 minutes to go to finish off the Reds after Claire Emslie terrorised the Liverpool defence and then laid the ball off to her fellow substitute.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 3, Liverpool Women 0 (Women’s FA Cup Quarter Final)
Man City Women: Bardsley, Bonner Houghton (C), Beattie, Stokes, Scott, Walsh, Wullaert (Hemp 82), Weir (Emslie 72), Parris, Beckie (Stanway 65)
Man City Women Subs not used: Roebuck, Lawley, Bremer, McManus
Goals: Beckie 25; Stanway 69, 88
Liverpool Women: Preuss, Robe, Bradley-Auckland, Fahey, Purfield, Rodgers (Hodson 90+1), Murray (Little 76), Coombs, Daniels, Babajide, Sweetman-Kirk
Liverpool Women Subs not used: Kitching, Kearns, Linnett
Referee: Peter Gibbons
Attendance: 1366