City secure FA Cup progression with strong win at Bournemouth

The Blues picked off the Cherries on the south coast courtesy of goals from Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, Lauren Hemp, Laura Coombs (two) and a second-half Vivianne Miedema brace.

It means Andrée Jeglertz’s side have extended our unbeaten streak in all competitions to 16 games, including 15 wins.

And we’ll learn our opponents in the next stage of the FA Cup after Monday 19 January’s draw at 19:00 (UK).

WHAT HAPPENED 

Despite sitting 33 places below City in the football pyramid, it was Bournemouth who had the first sight on goal when a long ball over the top was collected well by Jenna Markham, but her effort was comfortably claimed by Khiara Keating.

Jeglertz’s team then stepped up the intensity after the warning sign and continually asked questions with a series of crosses into the box which saw Rebecca Knaak head over from an acute angle.

But the opener would soon follow from City’s plan of attack when Leila Ouahabi whipped a vicious ball into the area and Shaw escaped her marker to head home.

Bournemouth responded like a team yet to lose this term, but the Blues produced a masterclass in clinical finishing ahead of half-time as we scored three times in four minutes.

Hemp beat the offside trap to drill into the bottom right corner for our second, before Coombs rounded off a one-touch passing move to extend our lead.

The midfielder then ghosted to the back-post a minute later and tucked Bunny’s cross into the net to secure her brace.

Following the interval City continued to push and Yui Hasegawa’s venomous effort from range hit the crossbar before a fifth arrived around the hour mark when Miedema poked into an empty net after the ball ricocheted off Lily Murphy.

And the Netherlands forward rounded off the scoring on the south coast with her second of the afternoon when slamming into the net from just inside the area as we reached the fifth round.

BOURNEMOUTH BATTLE

Throughout the cup tie, the battle between Iman Beney down the City right and Bournemouth left-wing-back Kenni Thompson developed into an intriguing contest.

Both players gave their all to get the upper hand with the Cherries defender standing up to the Swiss ace’s challenges in what reflected the overall pattern of play on the day.

For Beney, it provided a precious challenge as her sparkling progress with the Blues continues.

IN FLIGHT

With Bournemouth understandably sitting deep in their defensive shape against the WSL leaders, City had clearly targeted using crosses into the box to cause the most problems.

After a few warning signs in the first half, this paid dividends in the 18th minute with our opener coming from this attacking blueprint, as Shaw headed home a pinpoint Ouahabi cross.

CUP CLASS

Coombs is clinical in cup competitions. Of her five goals scored this season, four have come across Subway League Cup and FA Cup matches.

At present, she’s scored twice in the latter – in matches with Newcastle and West Ham – before netting twice at Snows Stadium against Bournemouth.

HOW WE LINED UP 

City XI: Keating, Rose (Prior 56’), Knaak (Greenwood 46’), Ouahabi, Beney (Casparij 71’), Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa, Hemp (Murphy 46’), Coombs (C), Clinton, Shaw (Miedema 56’).

Unused substitutes: Cumings, Thomas, Adedini.

Bournemouth XI: Foley, Hennessy, Meadows Tuson (Treweek 63’), Thompson, Williams (C), Wilson (Cole 63’), Quirk (McGuinness 78’), James (Barron-Clark 63’), Markham (Barratt 78’), Bowers, Harris.

Unused substitutes: Jones, Newton.

WHAT IT MEANS 

The win at Bournemouth means City have booked our place in the fifth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

We’ll discover our opponents during Monday 19 January’s draw which starts at 19:00 (UK).

UP NEXT 

Jeglertz’s side’s next fixture is our Subway Women’s League Cup semi-final tie against Chelsea at the Joie Stadium.

Kicking off at 19:00 (UK) on Wednesday 21 January, tickets are available here.

Next Fixture

All fixtures

Wed 21 Jan

FA Women's League Cup

Man City

19:00

GMT

Chelsea