City maintain 100% WSL start with Charlton win

Manchester City made it four wins from four in the Barclays Women’s Super League with a 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic at The Valley.

Alex Greenwood’s pinpoint free-kick 10 minutes before half-time proved the difference in South London, providing the perfect preparation for back-to-back home ties with Real Madrid and Arsenal in the next week.

An entertaining clash would also see Mary Fowler and Gracie Prior go particularly close to a second, but we ultimately had to settle for a one-goal victory.

But City were boosted by new signing Niamh Charles making a lively debut from the bench, providing crucial reinforcements amid a busy schedule.

What happened

City travelled to South London on the back of a hard-earned point in midweek against Bayern Munich, with Andrée Jeglertz making five changes from that 2-2 draw in Bavaria.

One of those fresh faces was Mary Fowler, and she almost marked her 100th City appearance with the opener when she called Sophie Whitehouse into action before the 20-minute mark.

At the other end, Eartha Cumings made an excellent acrobatic save to deny Jodie Hutton from distance soon after, but an entertaining first half would eventually get its first goal with 10 to play.

It was Greenwood who grabbed it with a delicious free-kick akin to her FA Cup final goal back in May – incidentally the last time she found the net.

City had chances to extend our lead with Gracie Prior twice going close either side of half-time – the latter calling Whitehouse into action before she again saved the rebound from Grace Clinton.

Charles, making her City debut, was introduced as part of a triple substitution on the hour and almost marked that occasion with our elusive second, but Whitehouse again was equal to the effort from a corner.

A final opportunity fell to Bunny Shaw as the final whistle approached, but the Jamaican’s glancing header from a Carlotta Wamser cross went just the wrong side of the post.

Flying full-backs

Being able to replace Alex Greenwood with Niamh Charles on the hour demonstrates the quality Andrée Jeglertz has at his disposal.

Our captain led by example for the first hour, with a typically impressive free-kick opening the scoring before the break.

And when she made way for Charles to make her City debut, the momentum and intensity remained.

A front-foot and versatile defender, Charles’ first act was to intercept a Charlton attack, drive forward and create an opportunity for City, while she could even have marked her debut with a goal but for a fine Whitehouse save from a corner.

A promising sign of things to come!

Midfield masterclass

Sam Coffey and Laura Blindkilde Brown’s battling performances will also have Jeglertz in high spirits.

Combative off the ball and measured on it, the duo never gave the hosts a moments’ rest at The Valley, and that trend continued when Yui Hasegawa was introduced to the action on the hour mark.

With City in the midst of an intense fixture schedule, having those quality options will be vital for the Blues in the WSL and across Europe.

What it means

City remain top of the WSL table with four wins from four.

We’re the only side in the top flight with a 100% record still intact.

How we lined up

Charlton XI: Whitehouse, Johnston, N’Dow, Davidson, Azzaro (Kenney 62’, Hutton, Flannery, Korhonen (Mason 86’), Cissoko, van Egmond (Fitzgerald 24’), Lobato.

Subs: Kouivunen, Humphrey, Lockwood, Waldie, Robe, Nelson-Iye.

City XI: Cumings, Casparij (Wamser 78’), Prior, Rose, Greenwood (C) (Charles 60’), Coffey, Blindkilde Brown (Hasegawa 60’), Fujino (Shaw 60’), Clinton, Mead, Fowler

Subs: Moorhouse, Hemp, Wienroither, Lewis, Davies