Manchester City Women 0, Manchester United Women 2 (Women’s FA Cup Semi Final)
Manchester City were dumped out of the FA Cup by Manchester United with goals by Celine Bizet and Grace Clinton.
Manchester United will head to Wembley to defend their FA Cup in the final against Chelsea in an attempt to prevent the Blues from making a domestic clean sweep.
Injury-hit City are struggling to keep in touch with their WSL rivals – who are 7 points ahead of them with 4 games left to go as City’s hopes of Champions League football fade and they were faced with another major injury blow during this game.
Already without Khadija “Bunny” Shaw, City had lost Vivianne Miedema to injury days before this game and went on to lose Mary Fowler to a bad looking knee injury during the game.
The Reds took full advantage of their hosts’ injury woes – City only named five subs, two of whom were goalkeepers – to blow them away in the first half.
United took the lead after a well taken goal by Celine Bizet who beat the offside trap, turning Gracie Prior, before firing past the reach of Khiara Keating from the edge of the area to break the deadlock after just 6 minutes.
The bad news kept coming for City as Mary Fowler’s knee gave way soon afterwards as she went to win the ball and while she was off the pitch receiving treatment Grace Clinton headed a second goal for the Reds from a corner after just 25 minutes.
Khiara Keating prevented a third with a save from Ella Toone’s rising shot.
City had a great chance to get back into the game when Clinton gave away a free kick in a dangerous area after 56 minutes.
Yui Hasegawa’s 20 yard free kick was tipped against her crossbar by Tullis-Joyce and Lily Murphy couldn’t scramble the rebound home.
There was a a clash of heads as Kerolin was unceremoniously stopped by Maya Le Tissier as United kept City – who did not have the options on the bench to change things – at bay.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City Women 0, Manchester United Women 2 (Women’s FA Cup Semi Final)
MAN CITY WOMEN
Khiara Keating: 7. Big saves from Ella Toone and Elizabeth Terland. Will be disappointed with the goals given away though.
Kerstin Casparij: 6. Pushed upfield after the introduction of Naomi Layzell.
Gracie Prior: 6. Turned inside out by Celine Bizet for the goal.
Laia Aleixandri: 7. Tried to hold City defence together.
Leila Ouahabi: 6. Difficult to track Elizabeth Terland. Set pieces poor today.
Yui Hasegawa: 6. Below her usual best. Found herself swamped in midfield at times.
Laura Coombs: 6. Could not stop runners going past her.
Jess Park: 6. Could not influence the game. Long range effort saved by Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
Mary Fowler: 6. Went down after stretching to reach the ball only for her right knee to buckle under her.
Lily Murphy: 6. Isolated on the left and didn’t get much change from United defence. Denied a goal after following up on a Yui Hasegawa free kick.
Kerolin: 6. Inventive attempt to overhead lob Phallon Tullis-Joyce tipped over by the United keeper. Became frustrated at lack of service later and got a bang on the head to boot
Naomi Layzell (on for Mary Fowler, 25): 6. Only just back from injury herself, slotted in at right back.
Laura Wienrother (on for Lily Murphy, 82): No time to mark.
MAN UTD WOMEN
Phallon Tullis-Joyce: 8. Made some good saves but not overly troubled by City. Tipped a free kick by Yui Hasegawa onto her cross bar and saved the follow-up by Lily Murphy.
Jayde Riviere: 7. Overlapping forward runs to great effect.
Maya Le Tissier: 8. Great defensive performance.
Millie Turner: 7. Nothing got past her.
Gabby George: 7. Great corner for the second goal but also put a defensive shift in.
Hinata Miyazawa: 7. Won the midfield battle.
Grace Clinton: 7. Unmarked on a set piece and scored a difficult header.
Ella Toone: 8. Set up the opening goal. Could have scored a spectacular first half goal.
Leah Galton: 7. Stretched City out on the United left flank
Celine Bizet: 7. Well taken early goal. Presented a goal threat
Elizabeth Terland: 7. Played on right wing. Denied several times by Khiara Keating. Late runs troubled City. Popped up in defence to prevent Leila Ouahabi getting a cross in. Blazed over a great chance in second half.
Dominique Janssen (on for Grace Clinton, 69): 6. Closed down Yui Hasegawa well.
Lisa Naalsund (on for Ella Toone, 82): No time to mark
Anna Sandberg (on for Gabby George, 82): No time to mark
Aoife Mannion (on for Jayde Riviere, 87): No time to mark
Melvine Malard (on for Celine Bizet, 87): No time to mark
GOALS – Manchester City Women 0, Manchester United Women 2 (Women’s FA Cup Semi Final)
Man City 0, Man Utd 1: 6. Superb controlled turn and shot by Celine Bizet to beat Khiara Keating from the edge of the area following a cross by Ella Toone.
Man City 0, Man Utd 2: 22. Gabby George’s corner was headed in by Grace Clinton as City’s marking went to pot with Mary Fowler off the pitch receiving treatment.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 0, Manchester United Women 2 (Women’s FA Cup Semi Final)
Man City Women: Keating, Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri (C), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Coombs, Park, Fowler (Layzell 25), Murphy (Wienrother 82), Kerolin
Man City Women Subs not used: Yamashita, Startup, Oyama, Lewis
Booked: Layzell 79 (foul on Leah Galton)
Man Utd Women: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere (Mannion 87), Le Tissier (C), Turner, George (Sandberg 82), Miyazawa, Clinton (Janssen 69), Toone (Naalsund 82), Galton, Bizet (Malard 87), Terland
Man Utd Women Subs not used: Rendell, Middleton-Patel, Abuja, Williams
Bookings: Clinton 57; Tullis-Joyce 66 (time wasting); Le Tissier 77 (foul)
Goals: Bizet 6; Clinton 22
Referee: Stacey Pearson