Manchester City Women 3, Leicester City Women 1 (Women’s FA Cup 5th Round)
Manchester City eased past Leicester City in their Women’s FA Cup tie with goals from Leila Ouahabi, Kerolin, and Khadija Shaw.
The Foxes scored a late consolation through Nelly Las as City took their foot off the gas and let the visitors threaten for the last 10 minutes.
Leila Ouahabi broke the deadlock after 18 minutes after she rolled the ball into the bottom corner after Leicester had blocked shots by Mary Fowler and Jill Roord.
Kerolin picked a superb goal to open her Manchester City account when she sidestepped Asmita Ale and chipped Olivia Clarke from 6 yards out after a direct attack by City from Rebecca Knaak up to Jess Park ended with the midfielder supplying the Brazilian who took a bow after admiring her own handiwork.
City boss Gareth Taylor made four changes at half time and City were 3-0 up before the hour mark after Aoba Fujino’s lofted cross was converted by one of the changes – Khadija Shaw who rose highest to nod it in from close range.
There was time for a final substitution with 15 minutes to go as Laura Wienroither made her debut, slotting in a centre back when she replaced Laia Aleixandri.
Leicester substitute Missy Goodwin had blazed over the Foxes best chance in the second half before they pulled a goal back with 8 minutes to go when Nelly Las was sent clear on the right by Ruby Mace and drilled her shot past Ayaka Yamashita.
It was too little too late for the Foxes who only started fighting when the game was already lost.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City Women 3, Leicester City Women 1 (Women’s FA Cup)
Ayaka Yamashita: 6. Routine save from Shana Chossenotte free kick. Cool footwork after being sold short by Rebecca Knaak in the second half.
Kerstin Casparij: 6. Allowed Hannah Cain a free strike in the first half from the left, steady at the back. Had to come off at half time.
Laia Aleixandri: 7. Solid defensive work and good skill to keep the ball in play going forward.
Rebecca Knaak: 7. Looked after Hlin Eiriksdottir but when given plenty of space and time to spot an opening she picked out Jess Park with a massive pass out of defence to set up Kerolin’s first City goal, drawn towards the ball as Leicester managed to score a late consolation.
Leila Ouahabi: 7. Her precision strike beat Olivia Clark after Leicester failed to clear a cross from Aoba Fujino. Was less successful with a later effort in the first half.
Yui Hasegawa: 7. Mopped up in midfield but distribution not up to her usual high standards.
Jess Park: 7. Troubled the Leicester midfield with direct running and striking up a good understanding with Aoba Fujino. Set up Kerolin after good control of a long ball up to her.
Jill Roord: 6. Struggled against the tightly packed Leicester defence.
Aoba Fujino: 8. Good balls into the box from the right – one eventually ended with the opening goal. Diligent defensive work from the front as usual. Could have scored a goal of her own but denied by Olivia Clark and deserved an assist when Mary Fowler blazed one cutback over the bar. Eventually got her assist when providing the goal for Khadija Shaw.
Kerolin Nicoli: 7. Started down the left flank, fluffed an early cross by Jess Park but had to take a bow after she chipped Olivia Clark from the tightest of angles and only 6 yards out – in off the cross bar. Short of fitness so was replaced at half time.
Mary Fowler: 6. Wayward early effort but drew Leicester defenders to her and her initial blocked shot ended with the first City goal of the day. Blazed over a great chance from a cutback by Aoba Fujino. Had to come off at half time.
Khadija Shaw (on for Mary Fowler, 46): 7. Header saved by Olivia Clarke but scored one shortly afterwards with a muted celebration.
Lily Murphy (on for Kerolin, 46): 7. Fresh legs to terrorise the Leicester right flank. Went close in the second half with a shot across the face of goal.
Laura Blinkilde Brown (on for Jill Roord, 46): 6. Midfielder
Naomi Layzell (on Kerstin Casparij, 46): 6. Steady comeback from injury.
Laura Weinroither (on for Laia Aleixandri, 75): 6. Manchester City debut.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 3, Leicester City Women 1 (Women’s FA Cup)
Man City Women 1, Leicester City Women 0: 18. Leila Ouahabi slotted inside the post from 12 yards out after Leicester failed to clear twice following blocked shots by City after an Aoba Fujino cross was sent back into the box by Kerolin and Mary Fowler and Jill Roord had shots blocked.
Man City Women 2, Leicester City Women 0: 29. Kerolin’s picked a superb first goal for City – a chip from 6 yards out that beat Olivia Clark after Asmita Ale thought she had forced her too wide. A long ball to Jess Park had bypassed the Leicester press and the City midfielder set up the Brazilian for the goal
Man City Women 3, Leicester City Women 0: 59. Khadija Shaw climbed highest and headed City into a 3-0 lead after getting on the end of Aoba Fujino’s lofted cross from the right.
Man City Women 3, Leicester City Women 1: 82. Nelly Las was sent clear on the right by Ruby Mace and drilled her shot past Ayaka Yamashita.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 3, Leicester City Women 1 (Women’s FA Cup)
Man City Women: Yamashita, Casparij (Layzell, 46), Aleixandri (C) (Wienroither 75), Knaak, Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Park, Roord (Blinkilde Brown, 46), Fujino, Kerolin Nicoli (Murphy 46), Fowler (Shaw 46)
Man City Women Subs not used: Keating, Miedema, Prior, Oyama
Goals: Ouahabi 18; Kerolin 29; Shaw 59
Leicester City Women: Clark, Kees, Ale, Swaby, Nevin, Tierney (C) (Sherwood 76), Mace, Cain (Las 56), Momiki (Cayman 64), Chossenotte (Kaczmar 64), Eiriksdottir (Goodwin 56)
Leicester City Women Subs not used: Leitzig, Bott, Howard, Thibaud
Booking: Kees 66 (foul on Khadija Shaw)
Referee: Phoebe Cross