Women's Super League
Man City WomenManchester City Women3B'ham City WomenBirmingham City Women1

Women's Super League: Manchester City Women 3-1 Birmingham City Ladies

By James LawBBC Sport

Manchester City Women scored two stoppage-time goals as they came from behind to beat Birmingham City Ladies and preserve their 100% league record.

Mistakes by keeper Ellie Roebuck and England captain Steph Houghton allowed Lucy Quinn to curl the visitors ahead.

Izzy Christiansen levelled from the spot before Birmingham had Kerys Harrop sent off for an off-the-ball incident.

In seven minutes of added time, Jen Beattie headed in a long throw and a second Christiansen penalty sealed it.

The result meant Nick Cushing's Manchester City side have won all four of their Women's Super League One games this term, but their opponents were unfortunate to leave with nothing.

Paige Williams felled Nikita Parris for the first penalty before Birmingham skipper Harrop was shown a straight red for kicking out at Georgia Stanway after a challenge between the pair.

An injury to visiting keeper Ann-Katrin Berger led to the extended added time, and after sub Megan Campbell's throw helped the hosts go ahead, German Berger brought down Stanway and Christiansen found the top corner once more from the spot - against her former club.

Man City defender Jen Beattie: "I'm so proud of the girls for going right down to the wire. We didn't give up and we kept plugging away. The header didn't have much power on it but I was just so happy to see it hit the back of the net.

"We know we weren't on par today. We're not happy at all with the way we've played. But we won the league last year, on days when we aren't on our best we grind out results. This team is made of winners and that's what he showed today.

"The quality off the bench is amazing. All wins are happy, they're all just as good as each other. But the feeling when the whistle goes and you've gone from one-nil down to get three the points is amazing."

Birmingham defender Aoife Mannion: "We held onto the lead for 60-odd minutes so to lose 3-1 in the end is really disappointing. We feel that our performance was very good for such a large part of the game.

"There was a few big, crucial moments in the game. Obviously they converted two penalties and we had a player sent off. We were still really confident that we could get something from the game but in the end it didn't go our way.

"It was a lovely bit of individual ability from our new girls, Lucy Quinn. I know she'll be really happy with that. It's a shame that the goal will be marred by the result in the end."

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Line-ups

Man City Women

Formation 4-3-3

  • 26Roebuck
  • 23McManus
  • 6Houghton
  • 5Beattie
  • 3Stokes
  • 8Scott
  • 24Walsh
  • 11Christiansen
  • 7LawleySubstituted forStanwayat 66'minutes
  • 16RossSubstituted forEmslieat 57'minutes
  • 17ParrisSubstituted forCampbellat 88'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Bardsley
  • 12Stanway
  • 18Toone
  • 20Campbell
  • 22Emslie

B'ham City Women

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 30BergerBooked at 90mins
  • 3Sargeant
  • 25MannionSubstituted forMaylingat 87'minutes
  • 6HarropBooked at 78mins
  • 2Williams
  • 26Ladd
  • 12Stringer
  • 27QuinnSubstituted forFollisat 90+3'minutes
  • 4CarterBooked at 41mins
  • 15Wellings
  • 17WilliamsSubstituted forAyisiat 75'minutes

Substitutes

  • 7Ayisi
  • 8Mayling
  • 11Hegerberg
  • 14Follis
  • 18Scofield
  • 20Cusack
  • 29Hampton
Referee:
Helen Byrne
Attendance:
1,465

Match Stats

Home TeamMan City WomenAway TeamB'ham City Women
Possession
Home58%
Away42%
Shots
Home12
Away3
Shots on Target
Home5
Away1
Corners
Home10
Away1
Fouls
Home9
Away12

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Manchester City Women 3, Birmingham City Ladies 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Manchester City Women 3, Birmingham City Ladies 1.

  3. Goal!

    Goal! Manchester City Women 3, Birmingham City Ladies 1. Isobel Christiansen (Manchester City Women) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the high centre of the goal.

  4. Booking

    Ann-Katrin Berger (Birmingham City Ladies) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  5. Post update

    Penalty Manchester City Women. Georgia Stanway draws a foul in the penalty area.

  6. Post update

    Penalty conceded by Ann-Katrin Berger (Birmingham City Ladies) after a foul in the penalty area.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Jennifer Beattie (Manchester City Women).

  8. Post update

    Ann-Katrin Berger (Birmingham City Ladies) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, Birmingham City Ladies. Emma Follis replaces Lucy Quinn.

  10. Post update

    Jill Scott (Manchester City Women).

  11. Post update

    Paige Williams (Birmingham City Ladies) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  12. Goal!

    Goal! Manchester City Women 2, Birmingham City Ladies 1. Jennifer Beattie (Manchester City Women) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Megan Campbell.

  13. Post update

    Offside, Manchester City Women. Jennifer Beattie tries a through ball, but Georgia Stanway is caught offside.

  14. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Manchester City Women. Megan Campbell replaces Nikita Parris.

  16. Substitution

    Substitution, Birmingham City Ladies. Sarah Mayling replaces Aoife Mannion because of an injury.

  17. Post update

    Delay in match Ann-Katrin Berger (Birmingham City Ladies) because of an injury.

  18. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City Women. Conceded by Meaghan Sargeant.

  19. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Stephanie Houghton (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Isobel Christiansen with a cross.

  20. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City Women. Conceded by Paige Williams.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Chelsea Women44001901912
2Man City Women44001551012
3Reading Women421110377
4Arsenal Women42118807
5Liverpool Women42026516
6Sunderland Women4202310-76
7B'ham City Women411279-24
8Bristol City Women4112212-104
9Everton Women400439-60
10Yeovil United4004012-120
View full Women's Super League table