Man United beat newly promoted London City Lionesses 5-1. Goals from Maya Le Tissier, Jayde Riviere, Jess Park and a brace from Melvine Malard completed the rout on Sunday midday.
London City Lionesses welcomed Manchester United to Hayes Lane in their first ever Barclays Women’s Super League home match. The only previous time they had hosted United was in the 2018/19 season in the WSL 2, a match they lost 5-0.
London City Lionesses made two changes from the side that were beaten 4-1 on the opening day by Arsenal. Elena Linari and María Pérez dropped out and Julia Roddar and 19 year old summer signing Lucía Corrales came in from the start. New world record signing Grace Geyoro was able to make the bench for the first time for London City and Katie Zelem started in midfield against her former club.
As for the visitors they made three changes from the side that lost to SK Brann in the UEFA Women’s Champions League in midweek. The biggest change saw Elisabeth Terland dropped to the bench as was Lisa Naalsund and Dominique Janssen. In their place came Millie Turner, Celin Bizet Donnum and Zigiotti Olme. United’s statement summer signing from Barcelona, Fridolina Rolfö, was also fit enough to make the bench.
The Line ups
LCL: Lete; Fernández, Kumagai, Kennedy, Imuran, Zelem, Roddar, Asllani, Corrales, Parris, Goodwin
MUN: Tullis-Joyce; Sandberg, Le Tissier, Turner, Riviere; Zigiotti, Miyazawa, Toone; Park, Bizet Donnum, Malard
The Action
A firework display alongside spoken word poetry built the atmosphere to a thrilling crescendo inside a packed Hayes Lane ahead of the midday kick off. Before long it was time for the action to commence and Manchester United started the brighter side. Good work down the left hand side from Sandberg and Bizet Donnum found Melvine Malard in the middle whose inventive effort was directed wide.
Just a couple of minutes later a lofted ball into the box found Malard again who was brought down in the box by Jana Fernández, penalty to the visitors. Maya Le Tissier made no mistake from the spot with a no look penalty straight down the middle past the diving Elena Lete. When London City did come forward they threatened. Last season’s WSL 2 top scorer Izzy Goodwin picked Le Tissier’s pocket but Phallon Tullis-Joyce was alive to the danger to clear.
With 12 minutes on the clock London City had their best chance of the match so far. A free kick from the right side of the pitch was temptingly whipped to the back post by captain Kosovare Asllani. The cross found Nikita Parris who was lurking, her cut back to Alana Kennedy was perfect but Kennedy could only fire straight at Tullis-Joyce from point blank range. Another set piece caused issues for United shortly after as a corner found Saki Kumagai rising highest but she was denied by another good save from United’s number one.
The Lionesses were looking fragile when Manchester United came forward in attack. Kumagai downed Malard on the edge of the box as the match approached the 20 minute mark. A stinging shot from Sandberg at the resulting free kick was well stopped by Lete. As the half wore on Jess Park was exerting more and more influence on proceedings, wonderful close control on the edge of the box from Park was opening up spaces previously closed.
With half an hour on the clock Manchester United made it 2-0 and it was Jayde Riviere who had her name on the scoresheet. The Canadian sprinted down the right side and fired the ball into the top corner from an unlikely angle to double the visitors lead. Soon after half time Manchester United made it 3-0, this time it was Malard who got the goal her performance had deserved. Played through on goal she directed the ball goalward and past Lete.
Manchester United made it four shortly after as Malard headed home before 50 minutes had passed in the match. The match was all but over as a contest and Malard had ensured her side were in the driving seat. London City Lionesses pulled one back with 15 minutes to play, a chipped ball to the back post from Asllani found the head of Parris who duly converted against her former club.
London City Lionesses pushed to reduce the arrears in the final minutes. After bringing on Grace Geyoro the home side looked a far more cohesive and threatening unit. A second goal however remained elusive and United took advantage of a side pressing for a way back into the match. With five minutes to play, Jess Park broke into the final third and after magnificent close control she took aim from outside the box to find the top corner. 5-1 to Manchester United it finished.
Man United pass rotation test but concerns linger
Early in the match Marc Skinner’s heart must have been in his mouth as Ella Toone went down with injury for a couple of minutes. She was fine to continue but the concern that United are just one injury from disaster never feels too far from the surface. There was an energetic press from the visitors early in the match which was a good sign of positive rotation. It is always a gamble to rest your top scorer for any match but it is a roll of the dice that Skinner may have to become accustomed to this season.
The signing of Jess Park has opened up more possibilities in the United front line. As Park can play on either wing and in attacking midfield it means that Malard can play upfront affording Terland a rest and vice versa. Park and Riviere also looked a good partnership on the right hand side.
Helped by the timely return to the starting eleven by Millie Turner, the first test of their rotational resolve was seemingly passed. However Turner was down early in the second half, needing a stretcher to leave the pitch. A worrying moment for the defender and for the club after the ever reliable centre back had only just returned from injury. Skinner was able to provide summer signing Fridolina Rolfö with her first WSL minutes in a late positive. Even so, Skinner will know that tests on a thin squad only get harder from here.
London City taught another harsh top flight lesson
So much of the talk going into this season was that Michelle Kang’s London City were cast in the role of disruptors in the WSL. The reality has so far proven to be very different, their first two outings have failed to inspire much confidence they can live up to the role. It has been a tricky start on paper as well as on the pitch facing two of last season’s top three. However even so shipping nine goals will not have pleased Jocelyn Prêcheur in the home dugout.
On Sunday afternoon there were signs that the team was gelling, in the first half London City responded to going behind by creating a couple of opportunities of their own. Izzy Goodwin continues to struggle, but the young striker has been isolated and against weaker opposition she may well thrive.
A first top flight home goal scored by Nikita Parris was deserved and a demonstration of their spirit. They also managed to get Grace Geyoro her first WSL minutes which will make the side far stronger in the coming months. Asllani, who set up their goal has been heavily involved in both London City goals this season, she is one of the best players in the league.
The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Melvine Malard
A thorn in the side of the newly assembled defence throughout, Malard’s direct running and intelligent positioning caused issues. She won the penalty after having gone close early on.
The French woman then scored two wonderful goals to all but end the match as a contest. Two goals on the opening weekend and two goals today put Malard at the front of the golden boot race. If she keeps playing as well as she has started the season she may just remain at the top of the charts.
