Manchester City have collected their first home points of the season in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League after defeating Aston Villa 5-0 this lunchtime.
Caroline Weir, Georgia Stanway, Hayley Raso (brace) and Lauren Hemp got the goals for The Cityzens in the second half of the game to help relieve some of the pressure on under-fire boss Gareth Taylor.
The first half saw the visitors set up with virtually every player behind the ball and prepared to frustrate Manchester City. That plan worked with the hosts creating little in the way of goalscoring chances. Weir played Ellen White in on goal but she was beaten to the ball by Aston Villa keeper Hannah Hampton. White again called Hampton into action just before the break but the keeper denied her England teammate with a stunning point blank save.
Following a goalless first period, it seemed like Manchester City were set for a really tough second half, however, two early goals completely changed the shape of the game. First, Weir curled a shot into the far corner from inside the box before Stanway cleverly flicked the ball home from a corner kick for the second goal.
Those goals helped breathe confidence back into Taylor’s side. Hemp saw an effort zip just wide before a Stanway shot was inches away from nestling in the bottom corner. Substitute Khajida Shaw then bustled her way in on goal but she was denied by Hampton who got her body behind the ball.
Manchester City then got a lucky third goal when Vicky Losada’s shot was deflected and goalkeeper Hampton raced out to prevent the ball from going for a corner. The ball fell nicely for Raso who drove her shot into the far corner of the net.
Raso’s dangerous low ball across goal provided Hemp with a tap-in for Manchester City’s fourth before the Australian international netted her second goal from close range after Hemp’s looping effort had come back off the bar. There was still time for Hemp to test Hampton in injury time but the Aston Villa keeper stood tall and blocked the shot.
The 5-0 success has hauled Manchester City into the top half of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League table ahead of Sunday’s fixtures.
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