📝 Report: Manchester City 3-1 Bristol City Women

BACKGROUND

City Women booked their place in the final eight of the league cup competition after finishing top of Group D and would be hoping to emulate last season’s run to the final having made the knockout stages. 

Lauren Smith made three changes to her side that beat Blackburn Rover 1-0 on Sunday, with Sophie Whitehouse< Jasmine Bull and Aggie Beever-Jones all coming to the starting XI.

WHAT HAPPENED

The Robins made an assured start at the Academy Stadium brining energy and a high press as they looked to force Man City into errors early on. 

City’s positive start was rewarded in the 16th minute when Aggie Beever-Jones went toe-to-toe with Lucy Bronze on the left wing, beating the Lionesses full-back to the byline and cutting the ball across the 18-yard box, where Alex Greenwood would turn the ball into her own net. 

The goal was just-reward for the Robins who had more than matched their WSL opponents throughout the opening exchanges. 

As expected Man City looked to respond and they were met by a stubborn City defence with Satara Murray and Brooke Aspin marshalling the backline well. 

Sophie Whitehouse was called into action to deny Steph Houghton, whose glancing header looked set to bring the hosts level before the ‘keeper intervened to tip the ball onto the roof of the net.

The Blues weren’t to be denied of their equaliser as Bunny Shaw slipped her marker in the box to pick out the bottom corner just shy of the half an hour mark. 

Fifteen minutes later, Shaw would have Man City’s second as she demonstrated her strength to shrug off the challenge of Aspin an  dispatch the ball past Whitehouse from six-yards out.

Following the half-time break the hosts looked to pick up where they had left off in the first forty-five, however the Robins were compact in defence and didn’t allow the Blues to create may clear cut chances. 

Whitehouse was called into action on a couple of occasions but dealt with the attempts comfortably enough. 

Man City then capitalised on a skewed clearance which saw Vicky Losada lash the ball past Whitehouse and give the Citizens a comfortable two-goal cushion. 

The hosts then dominated the ball for the final half an hour of play but were unable to add to their tally as the Robins kept the WSL big hitters at bay for the remainder of the 90.