Manchester United secured a top three WSL finish and Champions League qualification for next season with a hard-fought point in Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford.
The Reds had to come back from two goals down against Manchester City, who scored twice in quick succession through Laia Aleixandri and substitute Rebecca Knaak. Grace Clinton pulled one back for United immediately afterwards, just before the interval, with Melvine Malard then going on to move us level.
The final quarter of the contest was a backs to the wall job with 10 players, after Aoife Mannion had been sent off following a second yellow card. But the team did the job required to ensure that fourth-place City cannot catch us going into next weekend’s final round of fixtures.
On top of that, it was a fitting way mark United's 200th competitive fixture, qualifying for European football for the second time in our seven-year history.
FIRST HALF
It was a fast start from United, creating a chance inside the opening 60 seconds. When the ball looped up inside the six-yard box, City goalkeeper Khiara Keating needed to be alert to knock it away just as Elisabeth Terland was stretching to poke into the goal.
With the Reds asking more questions, we then had the ball in net the from Terland's back-post header. But the goal was disallowed as our no.19 was harshly adjudged to have pushed her marker in the build-up.
Following that disappointment, it was important to stay focused as Phallon Tulli–Joyce was required to pull off an excellent reflex save low to her right from Kerolin Nicoli. A header from early City substitute Knaak also didn't miss by much.
United's early momentum was disrupted by a significant pause in play to allow Jayde Riviere to be treated for what appeared to be a painful ankle injury. She was eventually unable to continue, replaced by Mannion just under half an hour in, with the Reds then faced with City's first real period of sustained pressure.
Kerstin Casparij's dipping half volley from the edge of the box flew just wide of the post, a little too close for comfort, before City's breakthrough from Aleixandri. The visitors moved the ball from back to front, with Lauren Hemp’s cutback finding the goalscorer, who stepped into the box and steered a curling shot into the bottom corner.
United were hit by a quickfire sucker punch only moments later when Knaak ghosted into the six-yard box at a corner and powered in a close-ranger header. The response, however, was instant. Mannion's deep cross from the right was perfectly flighted and met by Clinton, rippling the net with a bullet header of her own.
SECOND HALF
The start of the second 45 was played at a frantic pace without either side generating a clear scoring opportunity. That all changed with a quarter of the game left to play when United carved out a brilliant chance to equalise that was coolly put away by Malard, only just on as a substitute.
Our no.9 was involved in the build-up herself, cushioning Maya Le Tissier's long pass. From there, Malard carried on her run, so that when Terland won a flick-on header, she was suddenly through on goal in front of the Stretford End. As she so often is, it was a case of calmness personified when slotting the ball carefully past Keating.
Another twist quickly followed as Mannion was shown a red card following a second booking.
It had to be a team effort and Leah Galton's crunching but perfectly timed tackle on Aoba Fujino to stop a dangerous cross was cheered by the home crowd like a goal. From the resultant corner, Tullis-Joyce relieved the pressure by plucking the ball out of the sky.
Five minutes of added time made for a nail-biting finish. Even Keating went forward for a last-ditch City corner, with the ball even landing at the feet of the City goalkeeper in our box. But she couldn't control it and, as Grace Clinton nicked possession, was booked for a foul that ensured we couldn't break with the net unguarded.
Cries of 'United, United, United' erupted from the stands, willing the team over the line as the seconds ticked away, with the noise inside Old Trafford going up another level when the final whistle eventually sounded.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Tullis-Joyce; Riviere (Mannion 29), Le Tissier (c), Turner, George (Sandberg 46); Clinton, Miyazawa, Toone (Janssen 72); Bizet (Malard 63), Terland, Galton.
Subs not used: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Awujo, Naalsund, Griffiths.
Goals: Clinton 45, Malard 68.
Booked: Mannion, Sandberg.
Sent off: Mannion.
Man City: Keating; Casparij (Fujino 81), Prior, Greenwood (c), Ouahabi (Knnak 10); Aleixandri, Hasegawa; Park, Coombs (Blindkilde Brown 81), Hemp (Roord 65); Kerolin Nicoli.
Subs not used: Yamashita, Layzell, Wienroither, Murphy, Oyama.
Goals: Aleixandri 38, Knaak 42.
Booked: Prior, Greenwood, Keating.