Narrow win keeps City in title hunt
Manchester City are on an incredible run at the moment and the 1-0 victory over Everton means they have now won nine consecutive league games. They dominated throughout the game but Everton’s execution of manager Willie Kirk’s gameplan was almost perfect. They put in an admirable performance, even without Jill Scott who was ineligible to face her parent club, and frustrated City until the only goal arrived with nine minutes remaining.
Steph Houghton, making her 200th appearance for City, started the move, Lauren Hemp then cut inside from the right to set up Keira Walsh, whose sidefooted effort was perfect, leaving Sandy MacIver in the Everton goal no chance. “It is all about winning at this stage of the season,” as the Manchester City manager, Gareth Taylor, said afterwards. If City had fallen further behind Chelsea it would have been difficult to see them overhaul Emma Hayes’s team but they are two points behind with six games to go. All to play for.
West Ham’s struggles in London derbies continue
Chelsea travelled to Dagenham to take on a West Ham side hovering near the bottom of the WSL. West Ham have never won a London derby, losing 11 of their 13 previous attempts, and in the end it was a comfortable 2-0 win for the Blues with goals from Sam Kerr and Beth England. West Ham needed to start strongly to have a chance but were a goal down inside seven minutes. That time it was England crossing for Kerr to head in. Two minutes into the second half the roles were reversed, as England nodded in. The opener was Kerr’s 12th goal of the league campaign and West Ham are nervously looking over their shoulders now: second-bottom and only two points ahead of Bristol City.
Timely confidence boost for Stoney’s United
Casey Stoney’s Manchester United found themselves in the unusual situation of having lost two games in a row – and not scoring in either – so the game against Aston Villa was crucial in their attempts to keep Arsenal behind them and not lose sight of City and Chelsea. United responded just as Stoney would have hoped. Villa did not have a single shot on target and only 17% possession. Kirsty Hanson scored the first goal on 27 minutes after Villa carelessly gave the ball away in midfield and Jess Sigsworth scored a header for her second goal of the season. After the break the captain, Katie Zelem, scored the final goal to wrap up a comfortable 3-0 victory for the home side. Next up? Arsenal away on 19 March, a game which will have a huge say on the Champions League places. “This was a confidence boost ahead of a big game,” Stoney said.
Arsenal cruise at St George’s Park
Arsenal continued their pursuit of a top-three place with a 4-0 win away at Birmingham City, who again had to play their home fixture at St George’s Park as Damson Park is currently not meeting FA requirements. Birmingham knew they were in for a tough afternoon, having won just one of their past 13 games against the Gunners and two goals in quick succession by Caitlin Foord towards the end of the first half ended the game as a contest. There was still time for Vivianne Miedema to score a fine goal from outside the penalty area to go one ahead of City’s Ellen White as the top WSL scorer of all time. The Dutch striker is now on 56.
Brighton emerge from drama with win run intact
It was an incredibly eventful game at the People’s Pension Stadium and Spurs will wonder how they did not manage to score after creating so many chances. They hit the woodwork three times but could not find a way to score in the end. Brighton also hit the woodwork twice but in the end scored twice through Inessa Kaagman to record a third straight victory, while Tottenham manager Rehanne Skinner now has four straight defeats after being unbeaten in her first three games. “I think we needed to get points out of that game and could have, and probably should have, to be honest,” Skinner said. “But credit to Brighton, they defended as if their lives depended on it and sometimes that is the difference.”
Before the game both teams warmed up in T-shirts bearing the name and squad number of the Albion player Rebekah Stott, who last week announced she has been diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
WSL sides making headway in Europe
It was also pleasing to see both English teams winning as the Champions League resumed. Manchester City secured an emphatic 3-0 home win against Italian side Fiorentina last Wednesday after a devastating opening four minutes saw Hemp and the ever-prolific White put the home side 2-0 up. Fiorentina only had one shot on target and City are huge favourites to go through the the quarter-finals. The return legs are this week.
Chelsea, meanwhile, survived an early red card and Ann-Katrin Berger saved two penalties as they beat Atletico Madrid 2-0. Sophie Ingle was sent off in the 12th minute, but Maren Mjelde converted a spot-kick after half-time and Fran Kirby slotted home after 64 minutes. Would Chelsea have been able to handle this situation two seasons ago? I don’t believe they would. This highly experienced squad are showing a determination that may be able to take them all the way in Europe.
Watch the biggest season of women’s football yet on BT Sport, with at least 22 live women’s football matches, including Bristol City v Reading on Monday night at 8.15pm
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