The Jamaican took her tally to 132 with two clinical finishes and a powerful header as the WSL champions blew the Hammers away at the Joie Stadium.
Aoba Fujino and Iman Beney added further gloss to the scoreline with their first goals of the season, the former an impressive solo effort and the latter a drive from distance.
And with league leaders Chelsea held to a 1-1 draw by Everton, the win was enough to see us leapfrog the Londoners and open up a two-point gap ahead of next week’s blockbuster encounter at Stamford Bridge.
What Happened
Chances were at a premium in the early stages, with Kerstin Casparij testing Constance Picaud for the first real sight of goal.
The Blues continued to look the more likely to break the deadlock, with Aoba Fujino striking the post and firing wide from a promising position midway through the half.
It wasn’t long before we found the breakthrough though, with Shaw finishing off an intricate team move with a smart turn and finish after City had won the ball high up the pitch.
She’d repeat the trick soon after the restart to double our advantage – heading home Lauren Hemp’s teasing cross despite Picaud’s best effort to tip onto the crossbar.
The woodwork came to West Ham’s rescue soon after though, as Fujino crashed an effort against the bar from a central position before the hour mark.
Our number 20 got the goal her performance deserved soon after though, when she stole possession just inside the City half, raced into the West Ham box and found the bottom corner.
Fujino turned provider for number four – setting up substitute Beney who’s effort from the edge of the area took a deflection en route to the net.
Shaw made it five soon after, latching onto Grace Clinton’s ball in behind to complete her hat-trick, before being replaced by Risa Shimizu for her City debut.
Clinton almost added a sixth in stoppage time when she stabbed a loose ball towards goal, but Picaud got a hand to the effort to tip it onto the post.
Fantastic Fujino
Aoba Fujino has enjoyed a brilliant start to the 2026/27 campaign but came into today’s clash still searching for her first goal of the season.
The Japan international has regularly been a key architect in City’s intricate attacking play even if she wasn’t the one to finish the move, but that changed against the Hammers.
After twice striking the woodwork, she got the goal her performance deserved with a clinical low strike on the hour, before teeing up Beney for number four.
Clinical City
Andrée Jeglertz was asked whether goal difference could play a part in the title race come May ahead of kick-off, and while the Swede wasn’t drawn in by the suggestion, his team responded in kind at the Joie.
This was City’s biggest win of the season against a West Ham side who are usually well-organised and difficult to break down.
The Blues grabbed five goals from nine shots while also hitting the woodwork twice.
In short, we made our chances count.
Player of the Match: Aoba Fujino
The Japan international’s effort and quality on the ball helped drive City forward.
Despite twice hitting the woodwork, she didn’t let her head drop and ultimately got her just rewards.
| 1 |
|
Manchester City
Man City
|
9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 25 |
|
| 2 |
|
Chelsea
Chelsea
|
9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 23 | 23 |
|
| 3 |
|
London City Lionesses
London City
|
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 16 |
|
How we lined up
City XI: Yamashita, Casparij (C) (Beney 62’), Rose (Prior 80’), Knaak, Wamser, Blindkilde Brown (Coffey 61’), Hasegawa, Fowler (Clinton 62’), Fujino, Hemp, Shaw (Shimizu 74’)
Subs: Cumings, Shimizu, Wienroither, Lohmann, Davies
West Ham XI: Picaud, Codina, Siren (Kumagai 62’), Belloumou, Zelem (C), Gago, Asseyi (Salmon 72’), Riesen (Morgan 72’), Wandeler, Cascarino, Piubel
West Ham Subs: Walsh, Yajima, Nystrom, Tennebo, Wareing, Peacock
Up Next
It’s a tight turnaround for City, with a UEFA Women’s Champions League clash against Inter to follow on Tuesday 10 November.
Kick-off is set for 20:00 (UK) with the match available to watch live around the world on Disney+.
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