Manchester United 1 Albion 1: Hosts equalise in injury time

Jelena Cankovic's third goal of the season makes it five unbeaten for Dario Vidosic's side but they are denied a first away win in the WSL against United.

Bruce Talbot

2026-05-02T14:45+01:00

Jelena Cankovic rounds the keeper to put Albion in front. 📷Simon Davies

Albion stretched their unbeaten run to five games but were denied a first win at Manchester United in the WSL by an injury-time goal.

Jelena Cankovic’s first-half effort looked like being the difference in a game dominated by both defences. But in one last attack substitute Lea Schuller levelled deep into stoppage time.

Cankovic’s goal came when she profited from a defensive mistake and although the hosts improved in the second half they struggled to seriously test Chiamaka Nnadozie in Albion’s goal as the back four in front of her gave little away until the dramatic finale.

It looke like being the perfect way to end a momentous week for the club, after Tuesday's announcement that the women’s team will have their own purpose-built stadium by 2030 but Schuller had other ideas.

Albion stay sixth in the table, five points behind Spurs with two games to go and a better goal difference. The two teams meet at the Amex on the final day of the league season but Albion entertain Arsenal on Wednesday first.

Albion began like a team in a good run of form, pressing from the front and probing for an opening.

Caitlin Hayes found space at the back post but headed Fran Kirby’s corner wide before patient approach play created space on the edge of the box for Cankovic, but her right-foot shot was always rising over the target.

Charlie Rule lets fly in the first half. 📷Simon Davies

United had their own threats, particularly down the flanks, and Nnadozie made a fine save when she stretched to her left to push away Melvine Mallard’s shot after Baltimore cut in from the left.

But Albion’s tigerish press was rewarded five minutes before the break.

Tullis-Joyce’s attempt to find a teammate on the edge of the box was cut out by the alert Cankovic who then showed composure to round United’s keeper and score her second goal of the season.

Her only other league goal this season was also scored in the north-west and proved a matchwinner against Everton in January. A good omen as it turned out.

Caitlin Hayes wasn't far away with this early header from an Albion corner. 📷Simon Davies

United needed to respond after a lacklustre opening 45 at the start of the second half and Jess Park, who had been so influential in United’s 3-2 win at the Broadfield Stadium earlier in the season, made space on the edge of the box after good work by Malard but couldn’t test Nnadozie with her left-foot shot.

Albion regrouped and went close to a second on 66 minutes. Again they showed patience in the build-up before Kiko Seike funnelled a tempting ball across the six-yard box but none of the three Albion players sliding in could get a touch that would have led to a goal.

United equalised with a minute of stoppage time to go when a cross deflected off Moeka Minami and into the path of Schuller who fired past Nnadozie.

Jelena Cankovic celebrates after giving Albion the lead. 📷Simon Davies

Albion: Nnadozie, Catano, Minami, Kafaji (Olislagers 57), Symonds, Cankovic, Seike (Noordam 81), Kirby (Camacho 81), Hayes, Haley, Rule (McLauchlan 57).