City maintain perfect European start with battling Hammarby win

After beating Barcelona and St Polten in our first two assignments, Laura Blindkilde Brown’s maiden European strike put us on the path to victory over the Swedish outfit who were backed by vocal and passionate support in Manchester.

Aoba Fujino‘s late header then helped secure the success and maintain our perfect record on the continent in 2024/25 so far.

It means we remain at the top of Group D, are unbeaten in 12-straight matches and have won our past 10 matches in all competitions heading into our seismic trip to Chelsea in the Barclays Women’s Super League this weekend.

WHAT HAPPENED

The Joie Stadium was a cauldron of noise ahead of the match thanks, in-part, to the travelling Hammarby contingent who were equipped with flags and banners while being accompanied by a tireless drummer throughout the encounter.

But it was the hosts who started strongly and pinned the Swedish side into their third with Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw and Mary Fowler creating chances, but both were unable to trouble Anna Tamminen in the Hammarby net.

Martin Sjogren’s side had lost 9-0 to Barcelona in their last European outing, but Gareth Taylor reaffirmed his belief that the visitors would be tough opponents in his pre-match press conference which rang true after the opening exchanges.

With chances at a premium, both Bunny and Fowler drew fouls from our opponents as Hammarby defended heroically and looked to force turnovers through ex-Blue Julie Blakstad on the left and Ellen Wangerheim on the right.

Due to the Swede’s battling blueprint, it took until the 22^nd minute for City to create our first clear-cut chance of the evening.

After Fowler’s industrious work on the right created space for the ball to be played to Kerstin Casparij, the latter’s cross found Fujino at the back post - but the forward couldn’t keep her half-volley down.

Our Australian forward then stung the palms of Tamminen shortly after as we began to raise the tempo, before becoming orchestrator when her blocked cross sent the ball across the six-yard box.

Bunny bravely met it first, but it trickled just wide before Hammarby’s keeper crashed into the Jamaican.

The stoppage in play for Shaw’s treatment slightly took the sting out of our attacking impetus which the visitors almost capitalised on when Blakstad’s effort was blocked into the feet of Asata Miyagawa, who curled just over the bar from the edge of the box.

That represented the first half’s last chance but City re-emerged from the break playing at a faster pace, which resulted in Fujino smashing the ball off the back post after great play from Alex Greenwood and Leila Ouahabi down the left.

But we wouldn’t be denied much longer and deservedly broke the deadlock when Jess Park showed great feet inside the area to tee up Fowler on the left, whose drilled cross was smartly swept home by Blindkilde Brown from close-range.

It represented her first-ever goal in the Champions League and second for the Club since her January switch from Aston Villa, and she began to dictate the play immediately after – producing a sweet nutmeg in the middle of the field before making a number of lung-busting recovery tackles.

Following the opener, City bossed possession as Hammarby dropped deep into their defensive shell.

We almost carved open the visitors to perfection soon after when Fowler sent a wonderful pass through the lines to Bunny, who rounded the keeper and lifted home – but the goal was chalked off after the striker had just strayed into an offside position.

A warming moment on a chilly night at the Joie Stadium came with just over 20 minutes remaining when Blakstad received applause from both sets of supporters when being substituted – clearly and deservedly thought of fondly after her time with City.

But her current employers weren’t out of the contest and were showing they packed quality aplenty when keeping the ball in our final third and forcing a flurry of corners.

One of those set pieces resulted in Thea Sorbo unleashing a vicious dipping volley towards goal which Ayaka Yamashita excellently tipped onto the bar.

That sprung the vocal visiting supporters into life again and they raised the volume from their section in the stadium.

And Fujino squandered a great chance to silence their backing almost immediately after when the ball fell to her box, but she lifted over from close-range with the goal at her mercy.

She made amends with less than 10 minutes remaining though, meeting Ouahabi’s pinpoint cross from the left to head home and seal the points, her second group stage goal in three outings.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: MARY FOWLER 

Fowler epitomised City’s overall performance against Hammarby with a concoction of industrious pressing, quality on the ball and delivering at key moments.

She constantly caused problems for both visitors’ full-backs with darting runs and provided the classy assist for Blindkilde Brown’s opener.

The Australia international is certainly enjoying life in this season’s Champions League after netting our winner in the 3-2 win over St Polten last time out in Europe.

HOW WE LINED UP

Gareth Taylor made three changes from the team who started our 4-0 victory over Spurs last time out with Ayaka Yamashita, Laura Blindkilde Brown and Mary Fowler coming in at the Joie Stadium.

The Japan international was between the sticks and protected by a back four of Kerstin Casparij, Alanna Kennedy, Alex Greenwood and Leila Ouahabi.

Yui Hasegawa was at the base of midfield and joined in the engine room by Blindkilde Brown and Jess Park.

And Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw led the line between wingers Aoba Fujino and Fowler.

City XI: Yamashita, Casparij, Kennedy, Greenwood (C) (Prior 90’+1’), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Park (Coombs 90’+1’), Blindkilde Brown (Roord 81’), Fujino (Kelly 81’), Shaw (Murphy 85’), Fowler.

Substitutes: Keating, Startup, Thomas, O’Carroll.

Hammarby XI: Tamminen, Lennartsson, Carlsson, Nystrom, Andersson (Holmberg 56’), Joramo, Miyagawa (Sorbo 56’), Wangerheim, Hasund (Westin 69’), Blakstad (Josendal 69’), Tandberg (Vallotto 86’).

Substitutes: Amano, Andersson, Edrud, Gibson. 

WHAT IT MEANS

The victory at the Joie Stadium maintains our 100% start in the Champions League so far this term and means we have nine points after three games and sit at Group D’s summit.

WHAT’S NEXT

Next up for the Blues is a trip to Chelsea for the first heavyweight bout between the sides in the WSL this term.

Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is scheduled for 17:30 (UK) on Saturday 16 November and, as ever, there will be comprehensive coverage from the capital on mancity.com and our official app.