Finally, the 100% winning start ends for Manchester City, much to the pleasure of Manchester United, who struck late through Elisabeth Terland to claim a point in a well‑contested and at times breathless derby. Khadija “Bunny” Shaw’s strike in the second half appeared to have settled the game and kept the defending champions top of the table, and it had looked likely to be the same old story. However, Eva Olid’s ever-improving hosts fought back and were good value for the draw, which they eventually secured when Terland found the bottom corner after the ball fell kindly to her in the penalty area.
That late strike left City second in the Women’s Super League table, now behind Chelsea on goal difference, and the result breathed fresh life and intrigue into the title race. United were markedly improved on the league meetings last season with their local rivals, both of which ended in 3-0 victories for City. This time, however, Andrée Jeglertz’s visitors were given a real test and, although they may feel they should have finished the game off earlier in the second half, few could argue that a draw was not a fair result.
For spells of the first half, City’s fluid pass-and-move football, their speed down the left wing with Lauren Hemp, and the technical prowess of Yui Hasegawa and Aoba Fujino in particular, made it feel as though there was only one likely outcome as the defending champions sought to assert their authority on this derby. Fujino fizzed an effort narrowly wide after a flicked ball from her Japan teammate Hasegawa, and later Hemp lifted an effort on to the roof of the net. United, though, proved a tough nut to crack and, against the run of play, they created the better chances of the opening 45 minutes.
They should have scored but Terland was unable to reset her feet and connect properly with Andrea Medina’s cutback. It had seemed initially as though Medina might go alone and shoot. The hosts also went close when Ella Toone’s left-footed shot was saved and Jess Park’s dipping, swerving strike was also stopped by Ayaka Yamashita.
Jade Rose’s pace also helped her impressively to recover ground several times to halt United’s attempted counterattacks. Park’s powerful, driven shot clipped the top of the crossbar around the hour, after Yamashita had saved well from Terland, one-on-one. At the other end, Shaw cut inside and forced Phallon Tullis-Joyce into a smart stop at her near post.
Soon afterwards, though, the WSL golden boot winner last season delivered the breakthrough with her ruthless, low strike that was struck with too much venom for Tullis-Joyce to react. Shaw, who had been booed by the home fans after exchanging robust challenges with Maya Le Tissier in the first half, ran across to celebrate in front of the travelling City fans, many of whom were waving inflatable bananas in the air. She almost had a second goal moments later but whipped a close-range, rising shot just over the bar.
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