Manchester United’s UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification hopes took a knock on Sunday after they were held to a goalless draw by ninth-placed Aston Villa at The Banks’s Stadium in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League.
An outstanding defensive display from The Villans kept a usually prolific United attack at bay to earn themselves a well deserved point at The Banks’s Stadium. In particular, Sian Rogers, coming in for the injured Hannah Hampton, deserved the plaudits for some crucial saves and a commanding performance at the back in her first Barclays FA Women’s Super League start for 596 days.
United started on the front foot, dictating the tempo and utilising their wide players well to stretch Villa’s back-line. This almost paid off in the second minute when Ella Toone found herself unmarked in the box and volleyed the ball goal-wards for the first chance of the match. A switch of play found Leah Galton on the left flank, who sent the ball neatly into Toone but the shot forced a routine save from Rogers.
For the first half an hour, United’s attack was relentless, piling the pressure on Villa, but the hosts quickly showed Marc Skinner’s side that they were up to the test with some superb last-ditch defending in quick succession. First, Martha Thomas’ low drilled shot was tipped away by Rogers before Toone’s follow up was crucially blocked by Anita Asante from six yards out, quickly cementing the fact that it was going to take something special to beat this dogged defence.
Villa did grow into the game, seeing a lot more of the ball as the half went on, but other than a hopeful chip from Emily Gielnik; who caught Mary Earps off her line, and a mis-hit shot from Sarah Mayling; their first from inside the box, they were unable to take advantage of their increased possession.
The second half began much like the first, as The Red Devils squandered the best chance of the game with their first attack, failing to capitalise on a rare lapse in concentration from the hosts. Galton fizzed one into the box from the left to tee up Martha Thomas for a tap in after a lovely ball over the top from Hannah Blundell but somehow, the United number nine was unable to finish the job, poking it beyond the goalposts.
United continued to dictate play, looking for that all important opening, but with Villa happy to commit bodies back and defend, clear-cut chances were at a premium and the visitors struggled to sustain the intensity of the opening period. Their best opportunities came from set pieces with Ramona Petzelberger and Remi Allen making vital blocks, adding to the long list of Villa players who put their bodies on the line to keep United at bay.
United turned up the heat with five minutes to go, the reality of what the dropped points would mean in their fight for third place setting in. It was not enough, as Villa kept their nerve to see out a deserved draw, and mark three games without a loss, with Allen’s late injury the only dampener on a fine evening for Carla Ward’s Villans.