Holders Manchester United took a long time to hit their stride as they began their Adobe Women’s FA Cup defence, but eventually thrashed third-tier side West Bromwich Albion 7-0.
Melvine Malard scored the only goal of the first half and it remained 1-0 until the 77th minute, with United spurning several chances against West Brom’s resilient low block. However, Marc Skinner’s substitutions reinvigorated the side: a hattrick for Rachel Williams, brace for Celin Bizet, and a stunning strike from Ella Toone on her return from injury made it a rout for the defending champions.
As it happened
The holders dominated the opening stages with Baggies keeper Anna Miller forced into two early saves to deny Leah Galton and Hinata Miyazawa. Having forced their visitors into their own half, United found the breakthrough on 23 minutes. Geyse floated a curling ball across the box for Melvine Malard to meet at the back post; the French striker got the better of Ashlee Brown to turn it in with her knee, an advantage United’s dominance deserved. Malard almost doubled her tally two minutes later when she rose to met Gabby George’s cross at the other post, but somehow directed it wide.
Ellie May enjoyed West Brom’s only real opportunity of the half after 32 minutes, intercepting a pass from Galton back to Maya Le Tissier and striking wide with a first time attempt from range. Halftime saw United with a narrow lead, but without the finishing touch to give them the bigger advantage their dominance deserved; Malard came close to her second in stoppage time as she tried to follow up a rebound from Miller, but the keeper shouldered it out of her reach.
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter a similarly dominant but unproductive opening to the second half, with Elisabeth Terland denied twice at close range by Miller, United boss Marc Skinner made a triple change to enliven the attack. George, Geyse, and Malard were replaced by Anna Sandberg, Celin Bizet, and Rachel Williams on 57 minutes.
The biggest cheer yet from the home crowd was reserved for Ella Toone’s introduction in the 67th minute. It was the Lioness’ first game back after a two-month spell sidelined with a calf injury. Aoife Mannion also came on, with Jayde Riviere and Elisabeth Terland making way, while West Brom made their first change to introduce Rhianne Oakley for Phoebe Warner.
With twenty minutes remaining, the holders had recorded 13 shots (7 on target) but with little to show for it. Their substitutes transformed the game.
In the 77th minute, Seren Watkins brought down Toone outside the box – earning a booking – and Sandberg curled the resulting freekick to the head of Williams at the back post. The two substitutes would combine again two minutes later, Sandberg whipping a cross across the face of goal for Williams to power in.
Embed from Getty ImagesHowever, Williams had her thunder completely stolen four minutes later. After taking a corner short to Sandberg, Toone received the ball again and struck brilliantly into the far top corner. On her return, the Lioness stole the show.
The thrashing became a rout. In the 89th minute, Bizet chased down a loose ball that Taylor Reynolds and Hannah George both failed to clear, before rounding Miller and letting fly into the open goal. In the first of seven minutes of stoppage time, Williams completed a hattrick of headers when she nodded home Mannion’s cross from the right. Bizet added the seventh in the 95th minute, hitting home with her left foot through a crowded six-yard box from Toone’s freekick.
With 24 shots to their opponents’ one, 7-0 doesn’t appear to flatter Manchester United – but it was the substitutes that brought their game to life. United will discover their next opponents in the fifth-round draw on Monday 13th January.
The lineups
MUN: Tullis-Joyce; George, Turner, Le Tissier, Riviere; Galton, Janssen, Miyazawa, Geyse; Malard, Terland.
WBA: Miller; Brown, Reynolds, Green, George; Orthodoxou, Watkins, Rabjohn, Warner; Miller, May.