Manchester City’s WSL title charge stalls abruptly after shock against Brighton

Trending 1 month ago

Kiko Seike and Madison Haley put Manchester City’s title celebrations connected clasp arsenic Brighton upset nan WSL leaders. Three points would person enabled City to return nan title arsenic early arsenic Wednesday, depending connected nan result of Arsenal’s lucifer against Leicester. But nan title could now spell down to nan last day, pinch City still successful request of 3 points.

Brighton could person recovered themselves astatine slightest 3 goals down wrong 10 minutes aft gifting their opponents respective chances – nan first of which came aft 12 seconds erstwhile a unspeakable backpass from Moeka Minami was intercepted by Khadija Shaw. The striker played a short walk crossed to Aoba Fujino, who fired her effort wide.

Kerolin made nan hosts salary for their lacklustre commencement 5 minutes in, erstwhile a panicked clearance from Caitlin Hayes fell consecutive to her. The Brazilian took a speedy touch earlier sending her onslaught into nan top-left corner.

The chances kept coming for City, pinch Lauren Hemp coming adjacent and Shaw hitting nan post. But arsenic they continued to discarded them, Brighton grew into nan game.

Haley sewage nan all-important equaliser for nan hosts connected nan changeable of half-time aft a clever flick-on from Fran Kirby,. To make matters worse for nan convention leaders, it took 2 minutes for Brighton to move nan crippled connected its caput aft nan break. Another fantabulous done shot from Kirby was met by Seike, who drilled her changeable past Ayaka Yamashita from a tight angle.

Madison Haley fires location Brighton’s first extremity against Manchester City.
Madison Haley fires location Brighton’s first extremity against Manchester City. Photograph: Cat Goryn/Action Images/Reuters

City struggled to find a spark and could not respond. Unlike their opponents, nan hosts made nan astir of their chances to move 2 goals clear arsenic Haley completed her first WSL double. After receiving a short walk from Seike successful nan area, nan guardant took a touch earlier forcing a prevention from Yamashita. The shot deflected upwards, allowing her to caput location nan rebound.

As nan 90-minute people approached, City made immoderate drastic moves, pinch Rebecca Knaak moving from centre-back to centre-forward. Their consequence was rewarded erstwhile Shaw latched connected to a walk guardant by Iman Beney and placed her changeable into nan bottommost corner.

Although they cannot beryllium surpassed by Chelsea, nan reigning WSL champions could constrictive nan spread to six points connected Sunday pinch a triumph complete Everton. Arsenal, who besides stay successful contention for nan title, whitethorn besides now person a renewed consciousness of optimism pinch 3 games successful hand.

More
Source theguardian.com
theguardian.com