Manchester City Women 4, Leicester City Women 0
Khadija “Bunny” Shaw scored a first half double as Manchester City comfortably beat Leicester City at the Joie Stadium.
Jess Park and Mary Fowler made sure the points wet to City who were fully deserving of the win but injury worries following what looked like a groin strain to Jill Roord late in the game looked to be the only blot on an otherwise fine performance against the WSL strugglers.
City took an immediate lead after a breakthrough within two minutes at the Joie Stadium when Kerstin Casparij’s lofted cross from the right was headed past Janina Leitzig by Khadija Shaw.
Casparij also hit the post with another attempted cutback as City utterly dominated the opening 10 minutes and City were comfortably enough for Jess Park to try some long range sighters.
But for all their efforts City merely doubled the lead after Khadija Shaw rose again to meet a cross from the left by Leila Ouahabi and notched her second goal by beating Leitzig once again after 29 minutes.
Park found her range from 15 yards early in the second half as Jill Roord picked her out and the England youngster did the rest with just Leitzig to beat.
And Ouahabi almost scored a fourth but Leitzig made the save but Leicester could not stop City from making the game safe with a fourth goal as Ouahabi’s cross from the left was only half cleared by Courtney Nevin but Mary Fowler reacted quickly and half volleyed the ball back with interest to beat Leitzig.
That was the cue for mass changes to the City side with a Champions League game against St Polten on Thursday next week as Gareth Taylor rested key players and some of the midfield cohesion.
And City suffered a late blow and went down to ten players with 2 minutes to go as Jill Roord had to go off after feeling her groin.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City Women 4, Leicester City Women 0
Khiara Keating: 7. Given ample protection by her defence when Leicester tried to trouble the City defence. Came out of her box to make a clearance in the second half after many changes to the City side.
Kerstin Casparij: 7. An attacking threat down the right, stayed very high up. Set up the opening goal and hit the woodwork. Switched to left back after Codie Thomas came on.
Laia Aleixandri: 7. Handled the threat of Saori Takarada well after long injury lay off.
Alex Greenwood: 7. Distributed well from the back.
Leila Ouahabi: 7. Delivered a brilliant cross for the second City goal
Yui Hasegawa: 9. A big presence for City. Always seemed to be in space or if pressed created her own space. Had a shot of her own saved by Janina Leitzig.
Jill Roord: 7. Nice link play in midfield but new injury worry as she had to go off late in the game with City trying to see out the win.
Jess Park: 7. Risky balls forward. Tested the Leicester defence from range and great finish for her goal.
Mary Fowler: 7. Dropped deep to help the build-up. Scored a special goal in the second half to make the points safe.
Aoba Fujino: 7. Hard working presence from the left deserved a goal in the second half.
Khadija Shaw: 8. Leicester could not handle her. Towering header to open the scoring, great running off the ball and then scored an identical header. Had a couple of other chances, including a chance that went wide at the end of the first half.
Alanna Kennedy (on for Laia Aleixandri), 59): 6. Slotted into defence.
Laura Blinkilde Brown (on for Jess Park, 59): 6. Very mobile in midfield.
Eve O’Carroll (On for Yui Hasegawa, 74): 6. Senior debut. Sat deep in midfield, not her usual role, but didn’t stay there long as the game was long won.
Lily Murphy (On for Khadija Shaw, 74): 6. Shot wide twice after coming on.
Cody Thomas (On for Leila Ouahabi, 74): 6. Went to right back after coming on.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 4, Leicester City Women 0
Man City Women 1, Leicester City Women 0: 2. Kerstin Casparij’s lofted cross from the right was headed home following a towering header by Khadija Shaw
Man City Women 2, Leicester City Women 0: 29. Khadija Shaw was on hand again to head home a second goal after an identikit lofted cross from the left by Leila Ouahabi.
Man City Women 3, Leicester City Women 0: 49. Jess Park smashed in City’s third of the game after Jill Roord found some space and picked out her midfield partner for an easy finish.
Man City Women 4, Leicester City Women 0: 58. Leila Ouahabi’s cross was half cleared by Courtney Nevin but Mary Fowler was at hand to grab the fourth on the half volley.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 4, Leicester City Women 0
Man City Women: Keating, Casparij, Aleixandri (Kennedy 59), Greenwood (C), Ouahabi (Thomas 74), Hasegawa (O’Carroll 74), Roord, Park (Blinkilde Brown 59), Fowler, Fujino, Shaw (Murphy 74)
Man City Women Subs not used: Yamashita, Startup, Prior
Goals: Shaw 2, 29; Park 49; Fowler 58
Leicester City Women: Leitzig, Bott, Howard, Swaby, Nevin (Las 73), Cayman (Pelgander 73), Mace, Cain (Rose 63), Momiki, Goodwin (Thibaud 73), Takarada (Sherwood 81)
Leicester City Women Subs not used: Kop, Kees
Referee: Emily Heaslip