Manchester City Women 3, Manchester United Women 1
Jess Park scored twice and set up Khadija Shaw as Manchester City blew away Manchester United in the Manchester Women’s derby.
But with the game won, City took their collective foot off the gas and allowed the visitors to score a fortuitous goal after Hannah Blundell’s cross took an unlucky deflection off Kerstin Casparij’s foot.
With goal difference likely to play a factor in this season’s tight title race, City may yet regret letting the chance to pad their goal difference slip through their fingers as the Reds found some grit in the second half of an eventful game at the Etihad Stadium.
United had the better of the first few minutes of the game at the Etihad Stadium, chances for Nikita Parris and Geyse went to waste – the first was saved by Khiara Keating.
But City soon got themselves into the game and eventually got the goal they wanted through Jess Park who smashed home Leila Ouahabi’s left wing cross after United failed to clear a direct City attack.
Shaw, who looked offside in the buildup to Park’s goal, was subsequently shown the offside flag when she tucked home the loose ball after United’s frail defence fell apart again on City’s next attack.
The Reds’ defence was again lacking after a short corner led to a deep ball into the box which United failed to deal with, the loose ball fell nicely for Park who poached City’s second goal from 4 yards out just before half time.
And a third goal seconds into the second half ended the game as a contest when Park turned provider and slid the ball into the feet of Shaw who shrugged off Maya Le Tissier to shoot past Mary Earps.
It was her 68th goal for City, making her the outright all time record City goalscorer after she overtook Georgia Stanway.
It might have been game over for United but they managed to get a goal back to the delight of their travelling fans despite their fading hopes of qualifying for Champions League football next season.
Aoife Mannion and Rachel Williams came on, replacing the injured Jayde Riviere and Nikita Parris after 57 minutes.
United came back after a period of pressure midway through the second half, and Ella Toone slipped the ball to Hannah Blundell whose shot took a wicked deflection off Kerstin Casparij to beat Khiara Keating after 74 minutes.
The game had looked over but City took their eye off the ball, Geyse’s shot was blocked and cleared for a corner.
Geyse skied the ball over the bar after a clash of heads between Rachel Williams and Alex Greenwood in the City box.
The game might have been safe but City found themselves in a battle for the final quarter of the game as United’s resurgence came too little too late.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City Women 3, Manchester United Women 1
MAN CITY WOMEN
Khiara Keating: 7. Great early save from Nikita Parris. Tipped a looping deflected effort from Lucia Garcia over the bar.
Kerstin Casparij: 7. In a physical contest against Lucia Garcia. Unlucky to concede an own goal after she deflected Blundell’s cross/shot past Keating.
Alanna Kennedy: 7. Started at short notice. Showed few signs of rustiness and put a solid defensive shift in.
Alex Greenwood: 7. Confident figure at the back for City.
Leila Ouahabi: 7. Mistake allowed early United chance, her cross set up set up City’s first goal. Battle with Geyse in the second half.
Jess Park: 9. Good close control in midfield. A long range effort almost took Mary Earps by surprise. Sliced a better chance wide before smashing home a deserved opener and then poaching a second one from close range. Also provided an assist for Khadija Shaw. Put in a defensive shift too.
Yui Hasegawa: 8. Got into her stride after slow start and started making City play thereafter. Long range shot wide.
Laura Coombs: 7. Provided a useful link between midfield and attack
Mary Fowler: 7. A right wing berth for the Australian who kept Hannah Blundell pinned back.
Khadija Shaw: 8. Some poor timing early on denied her a couple of chances. Targeted by the United defence but slipped her marker to score City’s third goal at the start of the second half and become City’s outright all time record goal scorer with 68. Headed a golden chance to extend City’s lead soon afterwards and missed a sitter right at the end.
Lauren Hemp: 8. Terrifying pace and intensity up against Jayde Riviere. A cross/shot from the left landed on the roof of the net, forced an error out of Maya Le Tissier to create a superb City chance. Great cross in the second half deserved a better finish from Shaw.
Filippa Angeldahl (on for Laura Coombs, 83): No time to mark.
Esme Morgan (on for Leila Ouahabi, 88): No time to mark.
MAN UTD WOMEN
Mary Earps: 6. Had to be alert to save a long range effort from City midfielder Jess Park.
Jayde Riviere: 5. Constantly worried by Lauren Hemp on her flank, drawn out by the England winger. Went down off the ball early in the second half – another blow for United – gamely tried to carry on but was in pain before she was taken off
Maya Le Tissier: 5. Caught in possession for a great City chance and was shrugged off by Khadija Shaw for City’s third goal.
Millie Turner: 6. Had battle on her hands looking after Bunny Shaw.
Hannah Blundell: 5. Booked for late follow through on Mary Fowler, was sailing close to wind when she collided with Khadija Shaw. Lost Jess Park for her second goal but her cross was turned into her own net by Kerstin Casparij
Katie Zelem: 6. Didn’t make much of an impression on the ball.
Lisa Naalsund: 6. Bypassed by the City midfield.
Lucia Garcia: 6. Robust battle with Kerstin Casparij and showed plenty of intent. A deflected shot was tipped away by Khiara Keating.
Ella Toone: 6. Floated in an advanced midfield role up against Yui Hasegawa but nobody on her wavelength.
Geyse: 7. Spurned a great early chance but was consistently United’s danger player.
Nikita Parris: 6. Early shot saved. Faded out of the game.
Aoife Mannion (on for Jayde Riviere, 57): 6. Filled in at right back.
Rachel Williams (on for Nikita Parris, 57): 6. Experience up front but not enough service.
Malard (on for Ella Toone, 85): 6. No time to mark.
TEAM NEWS – Manchester City Women 3, Manchester United Women 1
An injury in the warm up to Laia Alexandri saw her withdraw very late from the Manchester City team to play United at the Etihad Stadium. Her place in the side was taken by Alanna Kennedy while Poppy Pritchard took up Kennedy’s place on the bench. It was the one change for City from their 4-1 win over Brighton.
Melvine Malard dropped to the bench as Geyse replaced her in the one change to Manchester United’s team from their game against Bristol City.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 3, Manchester United Women 1
Man City Women 1, Man Utd Women 0: 37. Jess Park was there to finish a left wing cross by Leila Ouahabi after United failed to deal with a one-touch City attack despite a suspicion of offside by Bunny Shaw in the build-up.
Man City Women 2, Man Utd Women 0: 45. Jess Park was there again poaching a finish from 4 yards out after United failed to clear a short corner routine by the home side followed by a deep cross into the area.
Man City Women 3, Man Utd Women 0: 46. Seconds into the second half Khadija Shaw ran on to a through ball by Jess Park, shrugged off Maya Le Tissier, and shot past Mary Earps into the far post.
Man City Women 3, Man Utd Women 1: 74. Kerstin Casparij scored an own goal after deflecting Hannah Blundell’s cross/shot past Khiara Keating.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 3, Manchester United Women 1
Man City Women: Keating, Casparij, Kennedy, Greenwood (C), Ouahabi (Morgan 88), Park, Hasegawa, Coombs (Angeldahl 83), Fowler, Shaw, Hemp
Man City Women Subs not used: MacIver, Stokes, Houghton, Kelly, Blinkilde Brown, Mace, Pritchard
Goals: Park 37, 45; Shaw 46
Man Utd Women: Earps, Riviere (Mannion 57), Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell, Zelem (C), Naalsund, Garcia, Toone, Geyse, Parris (Williams 57)
Man Utd Women Subs not used: Tullis-Joyce, Guerro, Malard, Ladd, Evans, Rabjohn, Aherne
Bookings: Blundell 21 (foul on Mary Fowler); Geyse 90+2 (foul on Lauren Hemp)
Goal: Casparij og 74
Referee: Abigail Byrne
Attendance: 40,086