Match Reports

Report: Tough day for Albion against impressive City

Jarrett gets consolation but Albion suffer heavy defeat in WSL.

By Bruce Talbot • 24 January 2021

By Paul Hazlewood
Albion were unable to stop the quality of Manchester City.
  • Albion 1, Manchester City 7

Albion never recovered after conceding two goals in the first 18 minutes as they went down to a slick Manchester City in Sunday's WSL clash at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre.

Hope Powell was again without several key players including Fliss Gibbons, Rebekah Stott, Geum-Min Lee and Victoria Williams and it was a tough afternoon against a City side who had too much strength, especially in attack.

Scottish international Caroline Weir put the visitors in control with a well-taken double and England captain Steph Houghton strengthened their position with a third goal just before half-time.

Ellen White and Chloe Kelly added a further goals either side of a brilliant free-kick from Houghton and although Rianna Jarrett scored her second goal of the season to get a consolation for Albion, Kelly and Janine Beckie added further goals to make it 7-1.

Albion had enjoyed one of their best results of the season when they held City to a goalless draw back in September but they left themselves with an uphill task after going two goals down inside 18 minutes.

Weir got her first in the 12th minute. Maya Le Tissier tried to block Kelly's cross and the ball deflected into Weir's path six yards out and she drove the ball past a helpless Cecilie Fiskerstrand.

Six minutes later City broke down the left this time with Lauren Hemp and her cross was expertly guided past Fiskerstrand and inside the right-hand post.

By Paul Hazlewood
Cecilie Fiskterstrand denied Caroline Weir a hat-trick goal with a superb save.

An Albion side who has struggled for goals this season needed to find a quick response but apart from Kayleigh Green's rising drive from the edge of the box and a couple of surges deep into City territory by Ellie Brazil they didn't offer too much of an attacking threat.

There was no lack of effort but with City moving the ball around nicely they always threatened another goal before the break and it arrived when Georgia Stanway’s corner on the right found its way into a crowded six-yard box and Houghton turned the ball home from almost on the goal-line.

Weir's substitution at the break offered Albion some relief but the visitors should have scored again early in the second half when Stanway teed up Kelly who blasted the ball over from close range after a clever side-step created space for her shot.

Danique Kerkdijk strode forward to test Ellie Roebuck, but the visitors did stretch their lead on 57 minutes when Kelly surged into the box and her low cross from the left was side-footed home by England international Ellen White for 4-0.

City then scored an outstanding fifth when Houghton brilliantly bent a free kick from 22 yards out over the defensive wall and into the top left-hand corner off the underside of the bar.

By Paul Hazlewood
Rianna Jarrett grabbed Albion's consolation goal with a smart finish into the bottom corner.

The visitors were clearly keen to improve their goal difference. Hemp's close-range effort was cleared off the line by Le Tissier but instead Albion pulled one back when Jarrett drove past Alex Greenwood on the right-hand edge of the box and shot beyond Roebuck to make it 5-1 with 20 minutes to go.

But City weren't finished. Kelly found the roof of the net from an acute angle on the left and substitute Beckie got their seventh after Kelly again found time and space to set up the chance. Albion were glad to hear the final whistle and must regroup ahead of next Saturday's trip to bottom of the table Bristol City.

Albion: Fiskerstrand, Green, Kerkdijk (Bance 78). Le Tissier, Whelan, Connolly, Bowman, Heroum, Brazil, Kaagman, Jarrett (Simpkins 87).

Subs: Walsh, Roe, Williams.

Referee: Lisa Benn