A hat-trick from Khadija Shaw condemned us to a heavy defeat at Etihad Stadium as Manchester City ran out 4-0 winners on Friday night in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
The Jamaica international, who was the league’s leading goalscorer ahead of the game with four goals in six games, fired the hosts ahead inside the opening minute before she headed home a second goal within the first quarter of the game, giving Gareth Taylor’s side a healthy lead in the first half.
We looked for a response after the break but two goals in the space of a minute from Jill Roord and Shaw once again – completing her hat-trick – saw City secure a comfortable victory under the lights and leave us without a win on the road so far this season in the WSL.
There were positives for Robert Vilahamn in terms of team selection as Amy James-Turner completed her first 45 minutes of the season, coming on as a second half substitute, while Hayley Raso also returned to the pitch in the second period after missing the last three games with an injury.
The hosts got off to the perfect start under the lights in Manchester as, after just 23 seconds, Shaw won the ball from Clare Hunt after a heavy touch from the defender, advanced into the box before slotting the ball past Becky Spencer. Our number 22 was forced into action shortly after, getting down to her right to push away Yui Hasegawa’s effort from distance.
Shaw added a second and doubled City's lead in the 15th minute as Lauren Hemp floated a cross from the left and the forward rose above Hunt to head home from inside the six-yard box. We slowly grew into the game and carved out two opportunities after the half hour mark, Matilda Vinberg unable to connect to a Bethany England cross before the former blazed an effort over the bar from just inside the box.
Aoba Fujino should have extended the hosts' advantage before the break, but she sent a header over the bar after more good work from Hemp on the left-hand side. Spencer produced a strong save to deny a fierce effort from Hemp in the early stages of the second half, while England was unable to direct Vinberg’s cross on target as we looked for a quick response after the break.
Hemp was inches away from adding a third for City just before the hour mark as her strike from the left area of the box struck the inside of both posts before being cleared away from danger, however, the hosts managed to extend their advantage six minute later, Hemp once again provider as she slipped the ball into Roord inside the box and the midfielder sent a powerful shot past Spencer at the near post.
Then, just a minute later, City grabbed a fourth as Shaw completed her hat-trick, tapping home from close range following a low-drilled ball from Hemp across the face of the goal. Substitute Lily Murphy struck the side-netting in the closing minutes of the game before a long-range effort from Hayley Raso was routine for Khiara Keating as City maintained their unbeaten start to the season in all competitions, while we’ll look to bounce back in next Saturday’s north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
