Manchester City Women 4, FC Lugano 0 (Man City Women win 11-1 on aggregate)
Janine Beckie hit a hat trick as Manchester City qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League against FC Lugano by easing past the Swiss side 11-1 on aggregate.
City didn’t have to get out of second gear for with moments of individual skill highlighting the difference between the sides on the night.
Nick Cushing made five changes from the side that beat Leicester City on Sunday but they still had too much guile for their visitors.
Ellie Roebuck, Demi Stokes, Jill Scott, Tessa Wullaert, and Janine Beckie came into the side with Karima Benameur, Gemma Bonner, Caroline Weir, Laura Coombs, and Pauline Bremer stepping down.
It may have been a dead rubber but City scored within 5 minutes after a flurry of pressure ended with Janine Beckie chipping Morgan Bertsch from inside the box after running onto a great through ball.
Keira Walsh had won the ball and tricked another opponent with a drag back to create space before passing upfield into the path of the Canadian forward who spotted Bertsch off her line.
Jess Park carried on where she left off on Sunday whistling a shot narrowly beyond the far post and City generally moved the ball quicker and with more creativity than their Swiss rivals.
That early promise didn’t develop into more clear chances until the 33rd minute when Walsh exchanged passed with Park before squaring the ball for Beckie who slid the ball in past Bertsch from 7 yards out.
Steph Houghton could have made it three just before the break but her close range header from Beckie’s corner was saved by Bertsch.
Janine Beckie completes her hat trick as Man City qualify for the Round of 16
City upped a gear after the break – Park wriggled past Kelly Chickering and crossed for Tessa Wullaert only for Bertsch to come off her line to smother the ball at the Belgian’s feet.
Tori Baliatico got free of the attentions of Houghton but blasted a long range shot over the bar.
But City reacted and had their third goal shortly with Beckie netted her hat trick, firming smashing the ball past Bertsch after turning Helen Seed from 7 yards out after Demi Stokes’ cut back from the left touchline.
City boss Nick Cushing gave captain Steph Houghton and key midfielder Walsh a rest, bringing on Aoife Mannion and Pauline Bremer.
Megan Campbell tried her luck from range, only just going wide, with an effort that kept low while Bremer fired wide after Jill Scott’s square pass found her in space.
Scott herself fired high and Bremer almost handed a chance for a fourth Beckie goal to the on-fire Canadian as City continued to keep tiring Lugano at arms length.
Bremer did get a goal late on, rounding the keeper to score into an empty net after being released by an agricultural clearance by Megan Campbell which turned into a great through ball for the German.
It was her seventh in four games for the in-form German and City now await news of their Round of 16 opponents.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 4, FC Lugano 0 – Man City win 11-1 on aggregate
Man City Women 1, FC Lugano 0: 5. Janine Beckie chipped the FC Lugano goalkeeper Morgan Bertsch from inside the box after Keira Walsh had won the ball and produced a fine bit of skill to put the ball ito the Canadian’s path.
Man City Women 2, FC Lugano 0: 33. Janine Beckie scored her second goal of the night, sliding it in from 7 yards out after Keira Walsh played her in again from wide on the right.
Man City Women 3, FC Lugano 0: 49. Janine Beckie rasped her hat trick into the middle of the Lugano net from 7 yards after she turned Helen Seed after a cutback by Demi Stokes reached her.
Man City Women 4, FC Lugano 0: 78. Pauline Bremer snatched a late goal of her own, breaking free and rounding Morgan Bertsch to score into the empty net after Megan Campbell’s clearance fell kindly for her.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 4, FC Lugano 0 – Man City win 11-1 on aggregate
Man City Women: Roebuck, Fidalgo, Houghton (C) (Mannion 55), Campbell, Stokes, Walsh (Bremer 55), Toland, Scott, Wullaert, Beckie, Park
Man City Women Subs not used: Benameur, Bonner, Weir
Goals: Beckie 5, 33, 49; Bremer 78
FC Lugano: Bertsch, Scaffidi (Bellero 80), Pantuso, O’Neill, Curtin (C), Baliatico (Granados 88), Seed, Dickerman (Pedrazzini 71), McDonald, Chickering, Herndon
FC Lugano Subs not used: Dossey, Amyx, Von Ballmoos
Referee: Tanja Subotic
Attendance: 949