Man City Women 0, Real Madrid Femenino 1 (Women’s Champions League Group Stage qualifier – Real Madrid Femenino win 2-1 on aggregate)
Manchester City failed to reach the group stage of the Women’s Champions League after they were knocked out by Real Madrid.
City lost 2-1 on aggregate after a 1-0 home defeat at the City Football Academy to the Spanish giants.
They conceded a goal late in the first half when Claudia Zornoza hit the target from a corner set piece at the far post.
City tried to hit back and Hayley Raso struck the crossbar while Ellen White tried to set up Caroline Weir for a tap in on an empty goal after winning the ball from Real goalkeeper Miso but the ball was agonisingly too far ahead of the Scot.
White also had a header cleared off the line but City could not breach the hard working Spanish visitors’ defence.
The defeat will be a blow to City’s hopes of progressing in the lucrative newly revamped Champions League.
City were without many senior players through injury including Ellie Roebuck, Karen Bardsley, Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, and Chloe Kelly.
City had just one shot on target in the game with Janine Beckie and White starting on the bench after recent knocks.
They are currently top of the Women’s Super League after one round of matches so far and will have to content themselves with a run on the domestic trophies.
Their early exit from the Champions League means City will now enter the Continental Tyres League Cup at the group stage rather than the quarter finals and will face a tough group including Manchester United and Everton.
Match Stats – Man City Women 0, Real Madrid Femenino 1 (Real Madrid Femenino win 2-1 on aggregate)
Man City Women: Benameur Taieb, Morgan, Houghton (C), Greenwood, Stokes, Coombes, Weir, Losada (Stanway 70), Raso (Beckie 70), Hemp, Shaw (White 46)
Man City Women subs not used: Keating, Kennedy, Mace, Park, Scott
Real Madrid Feminino: Misa, Ivana (C), Peter, Teresa, K Robles, Nahikari (Asllani 86), Kaci, Zornoza (Olga 76), Esther (Moller 90), Athenea, Lucia Rodriguez
Real Madrid Femenino subs not used: Sofia, Lorena, M Corredera, Rocio.
Goal: Zornoza 44