Lauren Hemp

Manchester City Women roar into the Continental Cup semi finals with seven goal thrashing of Brighton

January 10, 2019 by Paul Chan

MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 7, BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION WOMEN 1 (CONTINENTAL CUP QUARTER FINAL)

Manchester City Women made it into an all-star Continental Cup semi finals alongside Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United after beating Brighton and Hove Albion 7-1.

Lauren Hemp congratulates Nikita Parris on her goal against Brighton at the City Football Academy in the Continental Cup on January 10 2019 — Lauren Hemp congratulates Nikita Parris on her 50th Man City goal against Brighton at the City Football Academy in the Continental Cup on January 10 2019

It’s been a high scoring week for a variety of Manchester City teams in cup competitions, with the mens team hitting 16 goals in two games and the U-21 team getting four at Rochdale in the Checkatrade Trophy.

The women got in on the goal deluge with seven at home to Brighton with four of them not arriving until after the 85th minute.

Goals by Nikita Parris, Lauren Hemp (twice), Caroline Weir, Claire Emslie, Georgia Stanway and Janine Beckie in injury time sent the Blues through to a mouthwatering Continental Cup semi final line-up alongside Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United.

While it’s possible that there will be a Manchester women’s derby this season, Brighton won’t be looking forward to their league visit to the City Football Academy in a little over two weeks on Sunday, January 27, after their late collapse as Danielle Buet’s penalty equaliser after just eight minutes was a distant memory by the end of a game played in thick fog for the most part.

City played three at the back against Brighton with McManus, Bonner and Houghton across the defence shielded by Keira Walsh and Jill Scott as deep lying midfielders.

Ahead of them, Lauren Hemp partnered Nikita Parris up front while midfield had Claire Emslie down the left and while Caroline Weir supported the strikers and Mel Lawley patrolled the right flank.

Parris opened the scoring with a delicate chip after just six minutes – her 50th goal for City – but Danielle Buet levelled from the penalty spot just two minutes later after Ini Umotong was brought down by Karen Bardsley as she tried to shape for a shot in the area.

Bardsley went the right way but the spot kick was well placed and went in off the woodwork.

Parris could have restored City’s lead with a rasping shot after 17 minutes but Sophie Harris tipped the ball away.

Parris’ cross was blazed over by Hemp who from 6 yards out a minute later as City failed to take a great chance to put their noses in front.

Hemp made up for her error when her close range shot was spilled by Harris and dropped into the back of the net after 24 minutes much to the horror of the Brighton goalkeeper.

Hemp’s header from Lawley’s cross looped up onto the top of the net when she had the chance to extend City’s lead as they settled into the game.

Brighton had their chances in the first half – Chloe Peplow’s free kick was easy for Bardsley to save while Aileen Whelan saw her shot go wide for the Seagulls.

But it was City who dominated the rest of the half with a Walsh shot deflected wide as the gloom descended in Manchester

Pauline Bremer (centre) and Esme Morgan (right) keeping warm in the fog at Man City vs Brighton on January 10 2019

Brighton made a double change early in the second half with Buet and Peplow replaced by Ellie Hack and Kayleigh Green.

Emslie’s cross from the left was headed wide by Parris as City continued to dominate, though as the corner count racked up in favour of the home side.

Caroline Weir hammered in City’s third from outside the area and off the inside of the far post after 59 minutes when Brighton failed to deal with a loose ball following Hemp’s earlier effort.

City blow Brighton way with late barrage in the fog

City were comfortable in the final third of the game, which saw Janine Beckie come on to replace goalscorer Parris after 68 minutes while Albion replaced Umotong with Ellie Brazil.

Emslie blazed over from Beckie’s cutback while Walsh went close from range as City stroked the ball around in the cold pea souper fog in the second half with Hemp drilling in a fourth for City – her second of the night – before being given a well earned rest as Pauline Bremer replaced her in the dying minutes.

There was even time for Emslie to grab a fifth for City with Brighton flagging – just reward for her work rate a and set piece delivery on the night – before substitute Georgia Stanway made it 6 and then Janine Beckie scored a seventh in injury time.

GOALS – Manchester City Women 7, Brighton and Hove Albion Women 1

Man City Women 1, Brighton 0: 6. Nikita Parris with a delicate chip over Sophie Harris

Man City Women 1, Brighton 1: 8. Danielle Buet levelled matters with a well struck penalty just beyond the grasp of Karen Bardsley after the City goalkeeper had brought down Ini Umotong.

Man City Women 2, Brighton 1: 24. Sophie Harris spilled Lauren Hemp’s close range shot and the Brighton ‘keeper could only watch in horror as it dropped behind her into the goal

Man City Women 3, Brighton 1: 59. Caroline Weir with a trademark 20 yard rocket to put the game beyond the visitors.

Man City Women 4, Brighton 1: 85. Lauren Hemp drilled in City’s fourth – her second of the night – to underline their dominance on the night.

Man City Women 5, Brighton 1: 88. Claire Emslie curls her finish past a demoralised Brighton side.

Man City Women 6, Brighton 1: 90. Georgia Stanway from the edge of the area after some neat interplay.

Man City Women 7, Brighton 1: 90+3. Janine Beckie with a solo run and goal in injury time after a ball over the top.

MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 6, Brighton and Hove Albion Women 1

Man City Women: Bardsley, Emslie, McManus, Houghton, Bonner, Lawley, Walsh, Scott, Weir (Stanway 77), Hemp (Bremer 87), Parris (Beckie 68)

Man City Women Subs not used: Roebuck, Beattie, Morgan

Booked: Houghton 20

Goals: Parris 6; Hemp 24, 85; Weir 59; Emslie 88, Stanway 90, Beckie 90+3

Brighton and Hove Albion: Harris, Buet (Hack 52), Whelan, Barton, Umotong (Brazil 67), Natkiel, Peplow (Green 52), Legg, Perry, Simpkins, Williams

Brighton and Hove Albion Subs not used: Hourihan, Rafferty, Gibbons

Booked: Brazil 73 Williams 82

Goal: Buet 8 pen

Attendance: 786

Manchester City Women dumped out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid

September 26, 2018 by Paul Chan

MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 0, ATLETICO MADRID 2 (Atletico Madrid Win 3-1 on aggregate)

After reaching successive semi finals in the Women’s Champions League the Blues fell to a Spanish masterclass by Atlético Madrid and went out at the first stage of this season’s competition.

First half goals by Silvia Mesegeur and Ludmila da Silva left City facing a mountain to climb after escaping Madrid with a 1-1 draw from the first leg of the Round of 32 but, despite hitting the woodwork several times and having a late goal ruled out for offside, City could not respond to Atlético Madrid.

Manchester City Women line up for the Champions League game against Atletico Madrid

The visitors were nominally behind on the away goals rule at the start of this game but soon turned up the heat in the City Football Academy Stadium with a first half masterclass of Spanish football.

City were already on the back foot when Angela Sosa’s right wing cross evaded the statuesque City defence and was converted by Mesegeur after just 4 minutes.

City captain Steph Houghton had extended treatment for an injury shortly after that blow but that proved only a brief respite from Atleti’s all action game.

City had found themselves being pressed high by the visitors who pressed hard from the start.

Amanda Sampedro shot wide when teed up by the excellent da Silva when city lost the ball in their own area – not the first time nor the last time that City players were second best on the night.

Atlético looked fitter, faster, stronger and bigger than City, cutting down passing angles without the ball and hunting the home side in packs.

Their incisive passing meant that City were chasing shadows and when they had the ball Nick Cushing’s team simply could not create many clear chances – limiting them to tame set pieces and long shots which – granted – might have gone in on another day.

City lacked the movement off the ball to present options and Atlético hunted the ball down in packs, passing it crisply around City who by their own high standards kept giving the ball away.

They were limited to set pieces and a 23rd minute shot by Georgia Stanway that was palmed against her own bar by Dolores Gallardo.

Second goal for Atletico Madrid kills off Manchester City Women

The visitors got a deserved second goal when Da Silva finally got the goal her work rate had deserved after running onto a flicked header and racing deep into the city half.

Da Silva had been a threat all night and skipped a challenge by Stanway and raced past Houghton before smashing the ball past Karen Bardsley in the City goal.

City now needed three goals to progress and Tessa Wullaert replaced Melissa Lawley after the break.

Gemma Bonner headed wide from Stanway’s corner as City started the second half well but soon lost Lauren Hemp to injury and Jill Scott was also taken off as Cushing sent on Nadia Nadim and Caroline Weir.

Atlético came close to putting the game beyond City when Jennifer Hermoso’s free kick was palmed against her own bar by Karen Bardsley – one of few chances by the visitors who were less adventurous in the second half having exhausted themselves putting City off their stride.

Stanway and Parris saw their long range shots from outside the area tipped over by Gallardo and hit the bar respectively as Atlético tired but despite no lack of application there were few better chances for City to get back into the game.

Jen Beattie thought she had equalised with a header off Weir’s corner only for it to be ruled out for offside and Parris’ shot was blocked by Gallardo while Houghton and Nadim saw header go wide and Weir hit the crossbar for good measure as City exited the Champions League battling till the end.

In the end, the better team won the tie and City will have a job on to qualify for next season’s Champions League with a tough visit to second placed Birmingham City coming this weekend.

MATCH STATS – Man City Women 0, Atletico Madrid 2 (Atletico win the tie 3-1 on aggregate)

Man City Women: Bardsley, Bonner, Houghton, Beattie, McManus, Walsh, Scott (Weir 59), Stanway, Parris, Hemp (Nadim 57), Lawley (Wullaert 46)
Man City Women Subs not used: Roebuck, Jans, Emslie
Booked: Stanway, McManus

Atlético Madrid: Gallardo, Robles, Aleixandri, Lingard, Kaci, Sosa (Tounkara 89), da Silva (Garcia 77), Sampedro (Gonzalez 84), Menayo, Meseguer, Hermoso
Atlético Madrid Subs not used: Rodriguez, Silva, Calligaris, Falcon
Booked: Aleixandri
Goals: Mesegeur 4, Da Silva 45

Attendance: 1,178

Manchester City Women sign Lauren Hemp from Bristol City

May 31, 2018 by Paul Chan

Manchester City’s Women’s team have been boosted by the signing of England U19 international forward Lauren Hemp.

Lauren Hemp joins Manchester City as the new number 15 for the women's team — Lauren Hemp joins Manchester City as the new number 15 for the women’s team

Hemp is the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year this season and joins from Bristol City Women, where she spent two years playing for the Vixens, scoring nine times during the 2017/18 season and was previously the England Young player of the Year in 2017.

The 17-year-old forward will take the number 15 shirt, previously worn by Swedish attacking midfielder Julia Spetsmark.

Encouraged by the opportunities afforded by young players at City, Hemp was excited by the opportunity to play for the club, saying:

“I’m very excited to be here, it’s a massive opportunity for me and I just can’t wait to get started. It’s always been Man City I’ve wanted to go to and to have this opportunity is a dream come true and to have it so early, I just can’t wait.

“The facilities are amazing, the atmosphere seems so nice, and the environment and all the people and players…they’re all my role models and for them to now be my teammates I just can’t wait.

“Coming here is a massive step for me. Taking everything in, learning every day, learning from the players, learning from the staff, just taking everything in and hopefully becoming a better player.

“I’m looking forward to working with the more experienced players, like Steph (Houghton) and Nikita Parris, because they’re the ones from a young age I’ve looked up to, want to be like, and now to actually be on the pitch with them each week will be an honour for me.

“Watching the likes of Georgia Stanway and Ellie Roebuck getting first team minutes helped me make that decision to come here.”

Hemp added that her hope was to add to the competition for a place in the side and ultimately get into the England team, emphasising her creativity, goalscoring, running at players and putting crosses in for the strikers as City look to regain the title from Chelsea Women next season.

Hemp earned her first England call-up at Under-15 level before going on to captain the side at the UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship in 2017, earning 13 appearances at England U17 level and scoring four goals in 7 appearances at U19 level as well as going on to represent the Lionesses at Under-18 and Under-20 level.