Manchester City Women 3, Ipswich Town Women 0
Manchester City Women qualified for the next round of the Women’s FA Cup with a 3-0 win over Ipswich Town.
Jill Roord broke the deadlock against a resolute Ipswich side while Laura Coombs, who scored the last time City faced Ipswich in the FA Cup, doubled that lead.
Viv Miedema marked her return from injury by coming off the bench to score City’s third goal to make the game effectively safe.
City found it hard to break down the organised Ipswich defence but they took their chance when it came after 20 minutes when the Tractor Girls dawdled on the ball while clearing a City attack.
Lucy O’Brien showed too much of the ball to Rebecca Knaak who saw the chance to steal the ball and passed it to Jill Roord.
City’s captain drove towards the edge of the box whee she unleashed a precision strike that crept in between goalkeeper Natalia Negri and the near post.
The Tractor Girls stayed tight until the break to the frustration to City.
Jill Roord sent in a cross from the left and Laura Coombs was there to volley the ball against the crossbar and the midfielder was at hand to tap in the rebound as City doubled their lead after 55 minutes.
Coombs also had a curling shot acrobatically saved by Negri shortly after but City really upped a gear after a triple substitution after the hour mark when they brought on Laia Aleixandri, Jess Park, and Vivianne Miedema for Gracie Prior, Coombs, and Lily Murphy.
And Miedema made it 3-0 with 14 minutes to go when Chloe Kelly picked her out and she was allowed a free run into the box to score from 12 yards out past Negri – effectively securing the win.
There was some little excitement for visiting fans at the end when Sophie Peskett sent Chelsea loanee Lucy Watson clean through on goal with 6 minutes to go but Kerstin Caparij raced back send her wide and slid in to block the shot.
And it was overall a big improvement for the Tractor Girls from their last visit to the Joie Stadium – something they can take into their promotion campaign as they look to win promotion to the Women’s Championship.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City Women 3, Ipswich Town Women 0
Ayaka Yamashita: 6. Had a quiet afternoon, just undercooked a pass to Kerstin Casparij and had to come off her line to make a clearance late in the game but otherwise well shielded by her defence.Had time for a bit of fun with the crowd during a break in play.
Kerstin Casparij: 7. Stayed back to help out with defence, few opportunities to get forward – a great goal stopping run back and block to help keep a clean sheet.
Gracie Prior: 7. Struck up a good understanding with defensive parter Rebecca Knaak. Good recovery once as last line of defence and also shot wide in the second half.
Rebecca Knaak: 7. Goal threat up front as well as fitting in defensive duties. Had a header tipped over the bar before she won the ball in midfield and set up Jill Roord for the opening goal.
Leila Ouahabi: 7. Inverted into midfield and joined the attack.
Laura Coombs: 7. Hit the woodwork and scored City’s second goal off the rebound.
Laura Blinkilde Brown: 7. Disciplined performance. Used mobility well as deeper lying playmaker – also made runs from midfield, hit the side netting.
Jill Roord: 7. Captain’s goal after 20 minutes. Captain’s performance thereafter.
Chloe Kelly: 7. Dangerous after swapping to the left wing during the first half, set up Viv Miedema for her goal.
Lily Murphy: 6. Pace down the left wing and switched down the right but struggled to break down the Ipswich defence. Had a shot saved by Natalia Negri in the second half.
Mary Fowler: 6. Played as striker but heavily involved in build up and set pieces.
Vivianne Miedema (on for Lily Murphy, 61): 7. Back from injury and back in the goals with a late strike.
Jess Park (on for Laura Coombs, 61): 6. Added some attacking impetus.
Laia Aleixandri (on for Gracie Prior, 61): 6. Slotted in to defence.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 3, Ipswich Town Women 0
Man City Women 1, Ipswich Town Women 0: 20. Rebecca Knaak stepped into midfield, robbed Lucy O’Brien, and passed to Jill Roord who advanced to the edge of the box and struck a low drive that beat Natalia Negri at the near post.
Man City Women 2, Ipswich Town Women 0: 55. Jill Roord sent in a cross from the left and Laura Coombs was there to volley the ball against the crossbar and the midfielder was at hand to tap in the rebound as the ball fell back to her.
Man City Women 3, Ipswich Town Women 0: 76. Vivianne Miedema scored after being given too much space and allowed a free run into the box when Chloe Kelly picked her out, easily beating Natalia Negri from 12 yards out.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 3, Ipswich Town Women 0
Man City Women: Yamashita, Casparij, Knaak, Prior (Aleixandri 61), Ouahabi, Coombs (Park 61), Blinkilde Brown, Roord (C), Kelly, Murphy (Miedema 61), Fowler
Man City Women Subs not used: Keating, Fujino, Hasegawa
Goals: Roord 20; Coombs 55; Miedema 76
Ipswich Town Women: Negri, Mitchell, Boswell (C), Wearing, Barker, Robertson, Garrad (King 87), Peskett (Fisher 87), O’Brien (Rutherford 62), Hughes (Addison 87), Thomas (Watson 71)
Ipswich Town Women Subs not used: Hartley, Bryant
Booking: Garrad 51 (foul on Gracie Prior)
Referee: Grace Lowe