Report: United Women 1 Man City 2

Wednesday 22 January 2025 21:23

Manchester United are out of the Subway Women's League Cup at the quarter-final stage following Wednesday night's narrow 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at Leigh Sports Village.

Just three days after Sunday's epic WSL derby clash at the Etihad Stadium, both managers shuffled their respective packs for this one.

Gareth Taylor named an unchanged goalkeeper and back four, swapping things around in midfield and up front. For Marc Skinner, it was six changes in total, including the return of Grace Clinton and opportunities for Melvine Malard and Anna Sandberg, among others.

This was a fifth League Cup derby in six seasons, but a first in the knockout stages of the competition, and City wound up exacting some revenge for the weekend result. Lily Murphy's effort on the stroke of half-time proved to be the difference, after the sides had exchanged earlier goals through Laura Coombs and Millie Turner.

The Reds fought hard at Leigh Sports Village

FIRST HALF

United managed to control the opening stages of the tie, enjoying plenty of possession straight from kick-off and largely pinning City into their own half. It meant that the 12th-minute breakthrough from Coombs came rather against the early run of play.

Teenage winger Murphy's low cross from the left made the goal for the veteran midfielder, with Coombs breaking into the six-yard box for a first-time finish. But the same player was unable to take advantage of a brilliant chance to double City’s lead not long afterwards, firing off target in front of goal, after Mary Fowler had nicked the ball inside United territory.

Rachel Williams went close for the Reds midway through the half, managing to hook her foot around the ball to volley at an awkward height on the edge of the area. City goalkeeper Khiara Keating looked on gratefully as it just curled away from the top corner.

Being in front had given City confidence, but United were able to get back level 35 minutes in thanks to Turner's goal-poaching instinct. Melvine Malard's in-swinging cross from the right was headed up, rather than out, by centre-back Rebecca Knaak. Turner took advantage of the subsequent confusion caused by the dropping ball, putting her foot through it on the bounce, high into the net.

But there was still more to come from another action-packed first half. In stoppage time before the break, Murphy restored City's lead when she cut inside from our right flank, curling a low shot beyond the reach of Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who got agonising fingertips on the ball.

United celebrated Millie Turner's first half strike.

SECOND HALF

United started on the front when things got back under way, Clinton seeing a difficult header drop into the arms of Keating, who moments later soon picked a dangerous cross off the head of Malard. With the Reds pushing to equalise, Casparij also had to be alert to get in front of Clinton in the box.

A double substitution an hour in saw the introduction of Celin Bizet and Elisabeth Terland, with the latter quickly causing problems when her pressing forced Keating into a sloppy pass. The ball made its way back to Teri, but the finish from a promising position missed the target.

United tried to find a way back into the game in the second half.

Urged on by the crowd, United continued to probe and ask questions of the visitors, only to find the door stay firmly shut. There were appeals for a late penalty from the stands when Terland and Keating collided in the air, although the decision went against our no.19 instead.

Keating was hurt in that incident, requiring lengthy treatment and coming off, which meant eight minutes of additional time to look for a second leveller. But there was no way through a resolute defence, with our best chance a narrow-angled Simi Awujo effort straight at replacement goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.

But while our journey in this competition comes to an end for this season, the games continue to come thick and fast. Attention must now quickly turn back to the WSL at the weekend, with Brighton the visitors to Leigh on Sunday evening.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Tullis-Joyce; Mannion, Le Tissier (c), Turner (Janssen 46), Sandberg; Awujo, Miyazawa; Malard (Bizet 60), Clinton (Toone 83), Galton (Riviere 73); Williams (Terland 60).

Subs not used: Middleton-Patel, George.

Goal: Turner 35.

Man City: Keating (Yamashita 86); Casparij, Aleixandri (c), Knaak, Ouahabi; Coombs (Roord 59), Hasegawa, Blindkilde Brown; Fujino (Park 59), Fowler, Murphy.

Subs not used: Prior, Davies, Oyama, Kerolin.

Goals: Coombs 12, Murphy 45+2.

Attendance: 3,011.

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