Manchester City Women Win to Qualify for Champions League

Manchester City secured their place in next season’s Champions League with a thumping win to finish their season in style. Goals from Lauren Hemp, Bunny Shaw, Ellen White and a penalty from Alex Greenwood gave the blues a 4-0 win in Berkshire to take the last spot.

In reality, the blues only needed a point due to their vastly superior goal difference, but with not knowing the score of United’s match at Chelsea, City knew their destiny lay in their own hands, and ultimately made light of their mid-table opponents.

Indeed, United lead at Chelsea while the blues match was goalless, and such a result would have seen City miss out on their European spot. And the reds were 2-1 ahead after 25 minutes but the blues concerns were lay to rest in the 33^rd minute.

Lauren Hemp, who has had an amazing season despite the blues woes towards the end of 2021, fired City in front to put City back in control of the race for third. And, when Shaw made it 2-0 five minutes before half time, there only seemed to be one outcome on the cards.

United must have thought all their Christmases had come at once with a 2-1 half-time lead but, with Chelsea chasing the title and City strolling to victory, the reds would have felt deflated on hearing the score.

But, City have been flying over the last few weeks, and with momentum firmly on their side, the blues have had enough to push them over a line that seemed so far away and unachievable before the turn of the year.

It shows the character of the side who kept going, right up to the final day and, even though the second half had an end-of-season, we can’t wait to be on the beach feel about it, the blues never showed any intentions of letting their lead slip.

And, to undermine City’s determination, Ellen White secured the three points with five minutes remaining as she nodded home Vicky Losada’s cross, before Greenwood fired home a late penalty after Hayley Raso was brought down in the box.

It was a fitting scoreline to end the season with, and the blues now go to Wembley next weekend and to face champions Chelsea, who beat United 4-2 to take the WSL crown for the third successive season. Congratulations to Emma Hayes side for a remarkable achievement.

Final Score: Reading Women 0-4 Manchester City Women