Greenwood harm mars comfy Man Metropolis win over St Polten

Teenager Lily Murphy marked her first Manchester Metropolis begin with the opening objective throughout their 2-0 victory towards St Polten.

Dutch defender Kerstin Casparij scored the opposite Metropolis objective as they continue to be with an ideal file on this 12 months’s UEFA Ladies’s Champions League and prime of Group D.

The one dampener on a dominant show from Gareth Taylor’s facet was a serious-looking harm for central defender Alex Greenwood.

Metropolis additionally needed to adapt to being with out central striker Khadija Shaw and regardless of controlling possession within the first half, they had been with out an opener.

Nonetheless, because the guests started to tire, Metropolis gained management and Aoba Fujino despatched a ball into the field on 56 minutes which evaded the defence and located Murphy on the again submit.

The Japanese ahead repeated the identical transfer 10 minutes later, this time sliding the ball into the field for Casparij to web.

Murphy had possibilities so as to add to her and Metropolis’s tally within the latter levels however failed to seek out the goal when twice via on objective.

“It’s the moments that you just dream of, to do it at this age is so particular,” mentioned 18-year-old Murphy after scoring her first senior objective.

“To do it with my childhood membership is so particular. I simply tried to get within the field and get on the tip of it, fortunately I did. We’re dominant, we simply need to win each sport and be ruthless on the pitch.”

Metropolis head to Barcelona subsequent Wednesday evening realizing that they may prime the group in the event that they keep away from defeat.

Manchester Metropolis coach Gareth Taylor confirmed pre-match that star striker Khadija Shaw was lacking from his squad following ‘a problem’ throughout coaching and wanted assessing.

At dwelling this season, Metropolis had gained each sport coming into the match and had scored eight objectives throughout their final three at dwelling.

Nonetheless, with Shaw lacking the hosts had been wanting a predominant outlet up entrance through the first half earlier than discovering a route of play within the second 45 minutes.

Metropolis may be with out central defender and skipper Alex Greenwood, who was stretchered off the pitch with a knee harm within the first half.

They each add to an harm checklist which incorporates Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly, Vivianne Miedema and Laura Combes.

Nonetheless, the substantial harm checklist has opened the door for the likes of teenager Murphy to make their mark towards defending champions Barcelona subsequent week.

Whereas Lily Murphy will rightfully steal the headlines, it was Fujino who terrorised the St Polten defenders. The Japanese star was marked by two defenders at occasions however used her footwork to ship inviting crosses into the field.

Ultimately, Murphy capitalised and gave Metropolis the opening objective they wanted to interrupt a cussed defence.

After the opener, Fujino prompted additional issues and likewise supplied an help for Casparij to attain a second and put the sport out of sight.

Manchester Metropolis: Yamashita 6, Casparij 8, Kennedy 7, Greenwood 6, Ouahabi 8, Park 7, Hasegawa 7, Blindkilde Brown 7, Fujino 8, Fowler 7, Murphy 8

Subs: Aleixandri 7, Prior 6, Thomas 6

St Polten: Schluter 7, Mattner-Trembleau 6, Johanning 6, Balog 6, Touon 6, D’Angelo 6, Dubcova 6, Hillebrand 7, Mikolajova 6, Brunnthaler 6, Pekel 7.

Subs: Glibo 6, Madl 6, Meyer 6, Schumacher 6, Zver 6

29’ – GREENWOOD INJURY: A free cross resulted in Brunnthaler breaking ahead. Greenwood went in for the problem and has suffered a nasty knee harm. She knew immediately it was a nasty one and is stretchered off.

45’ – D’ANGELO SAVING CHALLENGE: Fujino with a darting run and picks out the run of Fowler who would have had a straightforward faucet in at objective. Nonetheless, defender D’Angelo reads the state of affairs excellently and makes a diving problem.

56’ – GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1 (MURPHY) ST POLTEN 0: On her first begin teenager Murphy slides the ball dwelling. Fujino with a darting run to the byline and because the masking defenders and diving goalkeeper miss the ball there may be Murphy on the again follow faucet dwelling.

61’ –CASPARIJ GOES CLOSE: Murphy sends a floated cross into the again submit for defender Casparij who directs her header simply vast.

66’ –GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 2 (CASPARIJ) ST POLTEN 0: The supplier is once more Fujino drawing in two defenders out vast after which sending in a stunning ball throughout the face of objective. This time it’s Casparij who’s working in on the again submit to attain.

• Manchester Metropolis had 74% possession of the ball, leading to 14 makes an attempt on objective and 4 on the right track.

• Metropolis accomplished 770 out of their 846 tried passes. This was in comparison with 154 accomplished passes by St Polten.