WSL report: Manchester City 3 Albion 2

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Garcia and Hayes score but Albion are beaten by the WSL leaders.

Bruce Talbot

2026-10-18T16:30+01:00

Olivia Garcia scores Albion's first goal from close range. 📷Craig Galloway.

Albion showed bravery to score twice after going 3-0 down inside 18 minutes but it wasn’t enough to stop WSL leaders Manchester City from maintaining their 100% record at the Joie Stadium on Sunday.

Kadija Shaw scored her sixth and seventh league goals of the season and Niamh Charles also found the target as the hosts swept into a 3-0 lead.

But Olivia Garcia and Caitlin Hayes reduced the deficit before the end of a frantic first half.

In contrast the second half saw few clearcut opportunities at either end and although they kept pushing Albion couldn’t find an equaliser.

Caitlin Hayes, who scored Albion's second goal, clears under pressure from Kadija Shaw. 📷Craig Galloway

City went ahead after six minutes although replays showed Shaw was offside twice, once in the build-up and then when she side-footed past Nnadozie from Lauren Hemp’s left-wing cross.

Chiamaka Nnadozie did superbly to push away Shaw’s fiercely-struck shot from outside the box but the Jamaican wasn’t to be denied on 16 minutes.

There was no pressure on the ball as Hemp measured her cross from the left and Shaw rose between two Albion defenders to power a header past Nnadozie.

It was 3-0 in 18 minutes. Shaw’s backheel found Grace Clinton and although Gabby George blocked her cross it fell to Charles who slotted into the corner.

Kiko Seike was Albion's main threat. 📷Craig Galloway.

Seike, who was a threat throughout down the right, tried to lead a response, driving past Alex Greenwood and into the box before firing the ball beyond keeper Ayaka Yamashita and just past the far post.

And on 31 minutes she was involved again when Albion pulled one back. She laid the ball off to Fran Kirby whose turn and cross was bundled over the line by Garcia from close range.

Albion were very much back in business when Hayes was left unmarked to head in a corner to make it 3-2.

Maisie Symonds in the thick of the action against the leaders. 📷Craig Galloway.

From a coaching perspective the first half had been too open so not surprisingly there was a more cautious approach from both sides in the second period.

Shaw was still the main threat on either side, and was denied by Nnadozie’s fine save. The Albion keeper pushed away Aoba Fujino’s shot but all the time they only trailed by one Albion were in the game.

Coach Arturo Ruiz brought on fresh legs but the home side were defensively solid in the second half and will feel overall that they did enough to win.

Albion: Nnadozie, Vanegas, Auee (Mpome 76), Hayes, George (Murphy 88), Symonds, Cankovic (Olislagers 76), Seike, Kirby, Garcia, Tvedten (Joramo 66). Unused subs: Loeck, Rayner, Peskett, Gay, Warren.