Match Recap: Reading Women 1-1 Manchester City Women

After the defeat last week to Champions Chelsea, City needed to prove they could bounce back with a win against Reading.

The season had not gone off to the best start for Gareth Taylor’s Blues with two wins, one draw and one loss, however, against Reading, City had won nine of their last 12. There were three changes for the Blues from the defeat at Chelsea, with Alex Greenwood, Rose Lavelle and Georgia Stanway all in the starting XI.

The first attempt came in just the second minute, but for the home side. A cross on the right-hand side from a counterattack nearly spelled trouble for City and a save from Ellie Roebuck from a shot on the half volley was necessary to keep the score level.

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Reading’s dangerous spell produced a result for them when in the third minute they capitalised on a chance from a corner. It was Amalie Eikeland who opened the scoring after a scramble lead to the ball dropping into the bottom right corner of Roebuck’s net. 1-0 Reading.

An eventful first ten minutes, and City almost had their equaliser. Firstly, Ellen White had a shot from inside the box scrambled on the line which fell to Stanway who tested the Reading defence with her shot cleared off the line. Reading got away with it there.

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Although a goal down, the Blues were all over Reading and surely a City goal was on the cards. 17 minutes in and Greenwood took a corner which fell to Stanway on the penalty spot who had an effort saved by Reading keeper Grace Moloney.

The half hour mark had just passed when Lavelle gave the ball away on the edge of City’s box, leaving the Blues lucky to not be two down after no Reading players found the end of a whipped in cross.

Another City chance goes amiss! City had three through on goal, but it was pulled back for offside, how had the Blues not scored?

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Bright start to the second half for the Blues, but Sam Mewis failed to turn in a chance from close range, with an easy save for Moloney.

There was the equaliser City had been chasing for so long! 55 minutes in and Mewis took on the Reading defence and had a shot from around 18 yards out which flew into the bottom right corner of the Reading goal. 1-1 and City had to chase for a win.

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Close again! Chloe Kelly almost put the Blues in front for the first time. She put the shot inches wide. City surely would win with the amount of possession and how well they were in control of the game, they just needed to convert one of these chances.

Lavelle was the next City player to narrowly miss with a shot just wide just minutes after Kelly’s. It seemed like it was just a matter of time before City snatched all three points.

With just 15 minutes to go Stanway forced a save from the Reading shot stopper, which would be her last action with Jess Park coming on to replace her. Would this give City the fresh legs they needed to grab a win?

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City were getting desperate now with only 7 minutes of the 90 left and the score still level. White was the next to depart with Laura Coombs taking her place in a last-ditch attempt to win the game.

The last chance for City to take the win seemed to come and go with just two minutes left on the clock. Mewis again, this time just six yards out made it easy for Moloney. It was a very good chance and likely had it not been straight at the keeper that would have been the winner that the Blues were desperately chasing. A disappointing day for City.

Full Time: 1-1