In our third of four successive clashes with Chelsea, Sunday afternoon’s encounter was played out at the Etihad Stadium.
City looked the better side in the first half and after relentless running, Nick Cushing’s side earned a deserved lead.
MATCH REPORT | CITY 1-2 CHELSEA
Hannah Hampton had denied Kerolin Nicoli earlier in the half but the Brazilian winger wouldn’t be denied again just after the half-hour mark. A low, composed finish from just inside the City box edged us ahead with her first league goal for the Club.
Jess Park thought she had doubled our advantage on the brink of half-time but her goal was disallowed after referee Kirsty Dowle had blown her whistle for a City free-kick just before Park struck the ball.
An early Aggie Beever-Jones equaliser four minutes into the second half caught City off guard slightly but Cushing’s side remained focused on the task ahead.
The team continued to push but fresh legs for Chelsea helped them control the game better for the remainder of the match.
Khiara Keating denied Sonia Bompastor’s side on a handful of occasions with a range of fantastic quick-reaction saves and catches.
As it seemed set for the spoils to be shared, a forceful header at the back post by substitute Erin Cuthbert saw Chelsea snatch all three points in added time as City remain fourth in the WSL standings.
Watch the extensive highlights from our WSL battle at the Etihad via the video above...
