Manchester City Women Beat Leicester City Women 2-1: Match Recap

Leicester were the underdogs as they faced the holders Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. The competition was continuing from the round of 16 in February after a break due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the previous round City beat Ipswich very convincingly 10-0 while Leicester caused the only upset of the round beating top division side Reading 2-1.

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City third keeper Karima Benameur Taieb was called upon for only her second time for the blues by Gareth Taylor. City were eager for a win after a disappointing home 0-0 draw with Brighton which saw the blues dominating possession and shots but not converting for the win.

The first half hour of the match there was little by way of chances for either team and the artificial pitch meant that the game was very level to begin with.

City began to get a hold of the game when just after the half hour mark Caroline Weir was brought down in the penalty area and our new signing from Everton Chloe Kelly stepped up to take the spot-kick. Kelly put the ball in the bottom left corner comfortably to put the blues 1-0 up.

With five minutes of the first half to go, Ellen White flicked the ball on to Georgia Stanway who the lobbed Leicester keeper from the left-hand edge of the Foxes’ 18-yard box. That goal gives Stanway 3 goals in 3 matches and put City 2-0 up.

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The hosts began to get back into the game and worked tirelessly to get back from the two-goal deficit. With just 15 minutes to go Leicester won a penalty and Charlie Devlin fired the ball straight down the middle of Taieb’s net and put the Foxes’ back into the game, 1-2.

The full-time whistle and Gareth Taylor and the Manchester City women are through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Manchester City rivals Chelsea were knocked out of the competition by Everton 2-1 earlier in the day. A convincing win for the citizens and hope for a second successive FA Cup victory looking like it could be a reality.