Bristol City 0 United Women 2

Sunday 26 November 2023 14:40

Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Women’s Super League by beating Bristol City 2-0 on Sunday afternoon.

After a stop-start first 45, the Reds hit the ground running through Hinata Miyazawa early in the second half, scoring her first goal for the club with the help of a deflection. 

Minutes later, Nikita Parris headed home Ella Toone’s pinpoint cross to double our advantage and seal the victory. 

Our win down south was witnessed by a home record crowd for the hosts, with 14,138 fans coming through the turnstiles to see our final game before the international break. 
Nikita Parris celebrates yet another goal, continuing her hot streak.

Looking to return to winning ways in the WSL against bottom-of-the-table Bristol City, Skinner’s side started the game positively.

The in-form Parris forced a big save from Olivia Clark in a move that began down the right, with some excellent skill from Geyse to evade her defender and pull it back to our no.22, but the Bristol shot-stopper was equal to it. 

Continuing to push for an opener, an inch-perfect cross from Jayde Riviere found Leah Galton at the back post, but the winger couldn’t quite set herself to trouble Clark. Moments later, our no.11 was able to force a save out of the goalkeeper, tipping her shot behind for a corner. 

Two consecutive efforts, from Geyse and Millie Turner, respectively, would signal the end of our threat in the first half, with several lengthy stoppages - including the forced substitution through injury of Robins defender Brooke Aspin - made it difficult for either side to find much rhythm. 

In the approach to the interval, after watching on for much of the first 45, Mary Earps pulled off an excellent save to deny Amy Rodgers’ glancing header, getting down quickly to palm it away from goal. 
Hinata Miyazawa opened the scoring for the Reds in the second half.

Skinner’s team were rejuvenated coming out for the second half, looking determined to hit the ground running, and we get off the mark within five minutes of the restart, courtesy of Hinata Miyazawa. The Japan international's effort from range took a crucial deflection off Chloe Mustaki, wrong-footing goalkeeper Clark and finding its way into the back of the net for the opener. 

The Reds got into our stride after taking the lead, playing some slick football and soon doubling our advantage. Minutes later, Toone, providing the key pass once more, lifted a dangerous ball into the box where an unmarked Parris headed home to make it two. 

Earps made a crucial stop at the end of the first half.

Both Toone and Parris thought they had added a third on two separate occasions. Our no.7 latched onto a stray ball in the box, finishing cooly beyond Clark, only to be flagged offside. Parris was denied her second, meeting Toone’s pass to the back post, once more deemed to have been in an offside position when the ball was played. 

Melvine Malard - who replaced Parris, forced off after going down following that disallowed goal - almost had an immediate impact when she was introduced to the action, watching as her header struck the crossbar and caused havoc in the Robbins’ area, but it was subsequently sent clear. United travel back up north with all three points, returning to winning ways in the league as we head into the international break. 

Ella Toone created both goals in our 2-0 victory.
MATCH DETAILS

Bristol City XI: Clark; Powell (Ward 71), Aspin (Mustaki 28), Connolly, Layzell, Napier; Harrison (Syme 71), Jones, Rodgers, Thestrup; Morgan.

Unused substitutes: Strick, Bull, Woolley, Teisar, Kendall, Haland. 

Bookings: Aspin 4; Connolly 64.

United XI: Earps; Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Zelem, Miyazawa (Ladd 67), Toone; Parris (Malard 67), Geyse (Williams 77), Galton (Garcia 77).

Unused substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Tullis-Joyce, Evans, Naalsund. 

Goals: Miyazawa 50; Parris 55. 

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