Manchester City Women vs Manchester United Women
FA WSL
3:00pm Saturday 7th September
Etihad Stadium
Caroline Weir’s gorgeous 25-yard strike sealed a historic derby victory at the Etihad Stadium for Manchester City in front of a listing Women’s Super League crowd of 31,213.
Weir taken from outside the box proved enough to take the things but only after Manchester United, that dominated the first half for extended periods, came close.
City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck saved to refuse Jane Ross before the break, then was fortunate to find a late night Jackie Groenen effort bounce straight off the base of a post and to her arms.
After cruising into the Women’s Championship title last year featuring in the top flight for the first time, Casey Stoney’s side did enough to indicate they could be a force this season.
Having survived an early scare when’keeper Mary Earps struggled to clean a back-pass that was loose, the visitors – cheered on by a sizeable contingent at a crowd which dwarfed 5,265’s previous WSL record at Brighton last season – rose to the challenge.
Out of starting the scoring at the 22nd minute after she landed from Leah Galton Just a superb, twisting save from Roebuck prevented Ross.
City defender Gemma Bonner made a crucial interception to deny Ross another chance Groenen and Ross neglected to squeeze the ball on the line.
Nick Cushing’s City facet, intent on wresting back the WSL name in Arsenal, appeared slow and short on ideas before late in the phase, when Weir and Janine Beckie possibly carved out half-chances.
But it was a different story after the break as City started to dominate and they caught the lead within three minutes from the restart when Weir let fly with a rising shot from beyond the box.
Beckie fired on the bar missed a further chance after hurrying over the length of the pitch at a lightning counter-attack to miscue her effort.
As City dominated the final half hour , pinning the visitors back in their own 24, stoney’s side seemed to wilt.
Their advantage doubled from the 81st minute when the Beckie played with with a neat lay-off from the box also Tessa Wullaert screwed a shot that was rising just over the bar from a tight angle.
But there was time for United to come agonisingly close to snatching a stage once Groenen was found in the Town box at the 83rd minute.
As she tried her shot despite stumbling, the striker trickled an attempt that defeat Roebuck but rebounded off the foot of back and a pole into the alleviated’keeper’s arms.
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