Man City see off Leicester to go third in WSL

Chloe Kelly scores Manchester City's second goal in WSL game v Leicester at King Power Stadium

Chloe Kelly scored her first Women’s Super League goal of the season as Manchester City beat bottom side Leicester City to move up to third.

WSL top scorer Bunny Shaw’s 61st-minute looping header – her 10th league goal of the season – put Gareth Taylor’s side in front.

Kelly’s superb strike made sure of the points 13 minutes later.

The England forward cut in from the right before arrowing a low left-footed strike into the far corner.

It took an inspired performance from Leicester goalkeeper Janina Leitzig to keep the hosts level for as long as they were but she had no chance with either goal.

The Bayern Munich loanee made a WSL record 18 saves in the match, including six in the opening 20 minutes as the visitors created chances almost at will early on.

Shaw, Kelly, Denya Castellanos and the impressive Lauren Hemp were all denied by Leitzig.

Chances were extremely scarce for Willie Kirk’s side, but they did have a glorious opportunity to go in front just five minutes into the game, when Hannah Cain’s close-range header was parried to safety by keeper Ellie Roebuck.

While Manchester City move a point ahead of Arsenal, albeit having played two games more, Leicester remain four points from safety at the foot of the table.

More to follow.

Line-ups

Leicester City Women

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 33Leitzig
  • 4Bott
  • 15HowardSubstituted forGreenat 71′minutes
  • 22PlumptreBooked at 52mins
  • 2NevinSubstituted forPurfieldat 81′minutes
  • 3TierneySubstituted forSimonat 90+3′minutes
  • 6Eaton-CollinsSubstituted forSmithat 84′minutes
  • 16JonesSubstituted forPikeat 81′minutes
  • 10Whelan
  • 20GoodwinSubstituted forBakerat 70′minutes
  • 21Cain

Substitutes

  • 1Lambourne
  • 8Pike
  • 13Simon
  • 14Green
  • 23Purfield
  • 28Levell
  • 32Baker
  • 34Smith

Man City Women

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Roebuck
  • 2Casparij
  • 6Houghton
  • 5GreenwoodSubstituted forOuahabiat 84′minutes
  • 4Aleixandri
  • 25Hasegawa
  • 12Angeldahl
  • 9KellySubstituted forRasoat 79′minutes
  • 10CastellanosSubstituted forCoombsat 45′minutes
  • 11HempSubstituted forBlakstadat 84′minutes
  • 21ShawSubstituted forFowlerat 79′minutes

Substitutes

  • 7Coombs
  • 8Fowler
  • 13Raso
  • 15Ouahabi
  • 22MacIver
  • 41Blakstad

Referee:
Amy Fearns

Match Stats

Live Text

Post update

Match ends, Leicester City Women 0, Manchester City Women 2.