Manchester City continued their unbeaten start to the 2024/25 campaign with a hard-fought victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, having been held to a 2-2 draw by Arsenal in North London on the opening weekend.
Khadija Shaw slotted home from close range in the dying moments of the first half at Joie Stadium, slotting Kerstin Casparij’s delivery past Sophie Baggaley to secure all three points against a Brighton side buoyed by the summer arrival of Kiko Seike.
As it happened
Faced with a Brighton side that ran rampant against Everton on the opening weekend, Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City would certainly be required to defend resolutely against the visitors – and the counter-attack looked to be promising for Dario Vidišić’s Seagulls, with Pauline Bremer a key outlet throughout.
Fran Kirby failed to challenge Ayaka Yamashita from close range, and the visitors would be left ruing her squandered effort as Khadija Shaw broke the deadlock just a minute before the half-time interval, turning home from a Kerstin Casparij delivery from the left flank.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Jamaican forward should have opened the scoring a few moments earlier, having jinked past both Maria Þórisdóttir and Sophie Baggaley, only for the defender to recover and produce a sublime block to deny Shaw the opener.
Brighton’s Baggaley was called upon again in the closing stages of the contest, as the Seagulls’ control on the fixture waned to permit a late period of dominance from the hosts. Lauren Hemp and Jess Park both tested the visiting goalkeeper, though a pair of fine saves denied the Mancunians from extending their advantage.
Manchester City now turn their attention to next weekend’s clash against West Ham United, before they host FC Barcelona in the first of their 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage matches. Brighton, meanwhile, will head to Birmingham City in midweek before welcoming Aston Villa to the Broadfield Stadium.
The lineups
MCI: Yamashita; Casparij, Greenwood, Aleixandri, Layzell; Miedema, Hasegawa, Park; Hemp, Shaw, Fujino
BHA: Baggaley; Carabalí, Bergsvand, Þórisdóttir, Pattinson, Olislagers, Losada, Kirby; Bruna, Bremer, Seike
