In an exhilarating round of matches in the Women’s Super League, Manchester City and Chelsea showcased their dominance with impressive victories over their respective opponents. Manchester City’s demolition of fellow Champions League aspirants Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea’s death march against hapless Leicester City allowed both to pull away in the league table.
Hinata Miyazawa’s first for Manchester City came after just four minutes against Tottenham. This early goal opened the floodgates for what would be an incredibly strong showing by the United team. Ella Toone made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time, finishing a nice low cutback from Elisabeth Terland. Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw extended City’s advantage as she netted a brace from the spot, showing her coolness and composure in high-pressure situations.
At the same time, Leicester City was facing off against Chelsea, and the Blues jumped all over the Foxes. An early goal by Johanna Rytting Kaneryd opened this scintillating match up for a classic. Erin Cuthbert increased Chelsea’s lead to a comfortable three goals with two goals in quick succession, scoring just three minutes apart. Michelle Agyemang got in on the action with her first goal of the season to add Chelsea’s fifth.
Manchester City’s Dominant Display
Second, Manchester City’s performance at home to Tottenham was historically great. Hinata Miyazawa’s fifth-minute goal created a blistering tempo and shown that this was going to be an exciting match. Scary starter The Japanese forward’s thumping opener sent the hosts reeling and forced Spurs into a desperate fightback mode.
Early in the first half, City—and particularly their left midfielder, Aryan Pande—put the pressure on. A well-timed Ella Toone strike in stoppage time doubled the lead just before the halftime interval. That momentum carried over to the second half, and this time it was Khadija Shaw’s turn to steal the show.
“We need to look at the first half, it’s not acceptable if we want to try to do something at this club,” – Taylor
Shaw’s two penalties demonstrated her poise, calmness and execution under pressure. This amazing performance made City look like the clear favorites to win the whole league.
Chelsea’s Commanding Performance
If you thought Chelsea’s game against Leicester City told a different story with the same ending, think again. And just like that, the Blues were off to the races. When Johanna Rytting Kaneryd hit the opener against the run of play it completely changed the equation. Erin Cuthbert would quickly add two more in back-to-back minutes to leave Leicester on their heels and unable to recover.
Michelle Agyemang’s first goal of the season further added to Chelsea’s impressive tally. Wieke Kaptein completed the rout with a fourth Chelsea goal, completing a clinical offensive display.
Leicester had some respite as Sam Tierney offered a glimmer of hope with a smart finish to pull one back. It was too little too late as Chelsea’s defense did not bend to future danger.
Controversies and Red Cards
The matches were not without their controversies. In an equally individual encounter, Nikita Parris provided her new team with a lifeline with a well-taken response for her side. Tempers boiled over when Ines Belloumou received a straight red card for yanking Alyssa Thompson’s hair. Her side was now reduced to just ten players, leaving them at a severely unfair disadvantage.
Tottenham started making headlines when Cathinka Tandberg and Olivia Holdt scored in the first two minutes against Manchester City. Unfortunately for them, their efforts were not enough as City’s firepower was too much.
That’s where Aggie Beever-Jones had her standout moment, bending a brilliant free-kick over the wall and into the net. It curled beautifully into the upper 90, highlighting her immense skill under pressure in a high-stakes game.
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