Manchester City Women's perfect start to the Women's Super League season is over after a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village. Elisabeth Terland's 89th-minute winner for the hosts ended City's 100% record and dropped them to second in the league table, level on points with Chelsea but behind on goal difference. The result from Saturday 25 October leaves City in second place in the FA WSL with 19 points from a record of six wins and one draw from their seven games.
Khadija Shaw had put City ahead on her 100th WSL appearance, scoring her 91st league goal in the 66th minute. The Jamaican striker, who is the club's top scorer this season with eight goals in seven appearances, was a constant threat. City dominated the early stages, with Yui Hasegawa and Aoba Fujino controlling midfield and Lauren Hemp using her speed to stretch United's defence on the left flank. However, United's persistence was rewarded with the dramatic late strike.
The result marks a significant improvement for United, who had lost 3-0 to City in their last two league meetings. United goalkeeper Mary Earps made several key saves, including a notable stop from a Shaw header in the first half, to keep her side in the contest.
The late goal shifts the early title picture. The Lionesses will pose a significant challenge as City look to bounce back. This season, City have scored 20 goals and conceded nine, giving them a goal difference of plus eleven.
Despite the defeat, City remain unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions, a run that includes a 4-2 win over Arsenal. The team's recent form shows three wins and two draws from that sequence, with other results including a 3-2 victory over Brighton on 18 October and a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid on 1 October. Attention now turns to maintaining their challenge in a tightly contested league, with the squad needing to address a growing injury list that includes key defender Alex Greenwood, who missed the United clash.
The original report is at The Guardian Football
