Manchester United Women 2, Man City Women 2
Grace Clinton and Melvine Malard scored the goals for 10-player Manchester United that they came back from 2 goals down to get the point they needed to qualify for Champions League football next season.
Laia Aleixandri and Rebecca Knaak had earlier put City in the driving seat to extend the chase for Champions League into the final round of WSL games but the Reds had other ideas and survived a tense final 20 minutes down to 10 players after Aoife Mannion was sent off for two bookings.
It had looked so positive for City after they broke the deadlock on 38 minutes.
The move was started by Khiara Keating and went through Kerolin before Laura Coombs found Hemp whose cutback was curled past Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
Four minutes later, City had doubled their lead. Hemp forced a corner when her dipping shot was tipped over the bar by Tullis-Joyce.
But United conceded from the set piece when Yui Hasegawa’s corner was headed past Tullis-Joyce from close range after Rebecca Knaak stole in front of Millie Turner.
There was barely time for United to process that as Grace Clinton cut the deficit with a fine header from Aoife Mannion’s right wing cross at the end of the first 45 minutes with City – who have been defensively poor all season – caught napping at the back.
City improved after the break, frustrating the Reds with disciplined pressing and extra stiffness in midfield where United tried to play through.
But City can’t defend this season and United forced themselves back on terms after 68 minutes.
Melvine Malard got on the end of Elisabeth Terland’s flick on from Aoife Mannion’s right wing cross to beat Khiara Keating and put United back in the Champions League places.
There was hope for City as Aoife Mannion was sent off for a second bookable offence which gave the Blues 20 minutes to turn the game around again.
United were hanging on by the end, trying to run to the corner flag with 5 minutes of normal time to go as City tried to throw everything at the Reds.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United Women 2, Man City Women 2
MAN UTD WOMEN
Phallon Tullis-Joyce: 7. Great save from Kerolin and some good stops later.
Jayde Riviere: 6. Forced off early on.
Maya Le Tissier: 6. Held things together later in the game when United were under the cosh.
Millie Turner: 7. Caught ball watching as City doubled their lead from a corner. Blocked a late effort by Jill Roord.
Gabby George: 6. Not afraid to mix it.
Hinata Miyazwa: 7. Warrior in midfield, got a cross in for a ruled out goal.
Grace Clinton: 7. Caused chaos in the City ranks when she ghosted forwards from midfield and scored a deserved goal for United with a header. Great work off the ball.
Celin Bizet: 6. Battled hard.
Ella Toone: 6. Difficult to pick her way through a tougher City midfield. Sacrificed for Dominque Janssen as United looking to hold on
Leah Galton: 6. Found it hard to get space.
Elisabeth Terland: 7. Had the ball in the back of the net but ruled out for a foul by her in the buildup. Constant danger and City kept giving the ball to her to make things more difficult for them.
Aoife Mannion (on for Jayde Riviere, 29): 6. Eventful game, came on, created a goal and sent off for two quick bookings.
Anna Sandberg (on for Gabby George, 46): 6. Added composure to United.
Melvine Malard (on for Celine Bizet, 63): 7. Scored the crucial goal that confirmed 3rd place and a place in the Champions League.
Dominique Jansen (on for Ella Toone, 70): 6. Helped United keep City at bay for the final minutes after Aoife Mannion was sent off.
MAN CITY WOMEN
Khiara Keating: 6. Caught out by Elisabeth Terland’s looping header but given a reprieve as the goal was ruled out. Passed the ball straight to her later and was lucky to be bailed out by Alex Greenwood. Went up in the United area in the final seconds.
Kerstin Casparij: 6. Pot shot from outside the area after a corner was only cleared as far as her. Couldn’t stop Grace Clinton from getting on the end of Aoife Mannion’s cross for the United goal.
Grace Prior: 6. Another difficult game at the back for the rookie as United flooded forward on the break.
Alex Greenwood: 6. Late intervention prevented a shot by Elisabeth Terland.
Leila Ouahabi: 6. Forced off by injury after just 10 minutes.
Laia Aleixandri: 7. Pushed into midfield to give Yui Hasegawa help but also scored the crucial opening goal for City but could not protect the defence.
Yui Hasegawa: 6. Created the second goal but needed more help in midfield, below her best defensively again.
Jess Park: 6. Nominally on the right side but cut inside to allow Kerstin Casparij space to overlap but not too effective when crowded by United players.
Laura Coombs: 6. Involved in the build up for the first City goal.
Lauren Hemp: 7. Still on the comeback trail but her cut back set up City’s opening goal. Tried to chip Phallon Tullis-Joyce and won a corner from which City scored. Faded a bit in the second half.
Kerolin: 7. Tricky forward. Low shot saved by Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Did well to challenge the United defenders physically. Missed a great chance to score.
Rebecca Knaak (on for Leila Ouahabi, 10): 7. Scored City’s second goal and went close again.
Jill Roord (on for Lauren Hemp, 65): 6. Could not carve out clear chance.
Aoba Fujino (on for Kerstin Casparij, 81): No time to mark
Laura Blindkilde Brown (on for Laura Coombs, 81): No time to mark
GOALS – Manchester United Women 2, Man City Women 2
Man Utd Women 0, Man City Women 1: 38. Laia Aleixandri curled in the opening goal from 16 yards out after a cutback from Lauren Hemp.
Man Utd Women 0, Man City Women 2: 42. Rebecca Knaak darted in front of Millie Turner to head home Yui Hasegawa’s corner from close range.
Man Utd Women 1, Man City Women 2: 45. Grace Clinton got goal side of Kerstin Casparij to head the Reds back into the game after getting on the end of Aoife Mannion’s deep cross from the right.
Man Utd Women 2, Man City Women 2: 68. Melvine Malard got on the end of Elisabeth Terland’s flick on from Aoife Mannion’s right wing cross to beat Khiara Keating and put United back in the Champions League places.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United Women 2, Man City Women 2
Man Utd Women: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere (Mannion 29), Le Tissier (C), Turner, George (Sandberg 46), Miyazwa, Clinton, Bizet (Malard 63), Toone (Janssen 70), Galton, Terland
Man Utd Women Subs not used: Rendell, Middelton-Patel, Awujo, Naalsund, Griffiths
Bookings: Mannion 45+7 (foul on Lauren Hemp), 70 (foul on Kerolin); Sandberg 90+5 (time wasting)
Red Card: Mannion 70 (2 bookings)
Goals: Clinton 45; Malard 68
Man City Women: Keating, Casparij (Fujino 81), Prior, Greenwood (C), Ouahabi (Knaak 10), Aleixandri, Hasegawa, Park, Coombs (Blinkilde Brown 81), Hemp (Roord 65), Kerolin
Man City Women Subs not used: Yamashita, Layzell, Wienrother, Oyama, Murphy
Bookings: Prior 45+5 (time wasting); Greenwood 57 (foul on Celine Bizet); Keating 90+3 (foul)
Goals: Aleixandri 38; Knaak 42
Referee: Emily Heaslip