Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton and Liverpool all secured victories in the Women’s Super League on Sunday…..
Man Utd see off Leicester to close gap on Chelsea
Manchester United repelled a stern second-half challenge from Leicester, beating the Foxes 2-0 to extend their winning run to seven games and close the gap on WSL leaders Chelsea to five points.
The hosts were the better side in the opening 45 minutes and made it count. Melvine Malard opened the scoring inside 20 minutes with two simple passes from the back allowing her through.
Janina Leitzig committed early as the Man Utd forward ran on, going to ground and allowing Malard to slot home into an empty net.
Malard scores United’s opener
Leah Galton made it two on the stroke of half-time. It was Malard who swept the ball forward for her run, with Galton finishing coolly under pressure.
Leicester were much improved after the break, with the introduction of Nicole Momiki giving them a boost. She saw a shot herself go straight at Phallon Tullis-Joyce, while CJ Bott rattled the woodwork. Asmita Ale and Sam Tierney also went close.
However, they were unable to breach one of the best defences in the WSL this season, as the Foxes remain six points clear of the bottom. Man Utd closed the gap to Chelsea to five points after the leaders were held to a 2-2 draw at Brighton.
Fujino gives Man City win over Spurs
Vivianne Miedema celebrates with Aoba Fujino after scoring Manchester City’s first goal at Tottenham
Manchester City continued their push for the top three with a 2-1 victory at Tottenham thanks to Aoba Fujino’s second-half winner.
Vivianne Miedema headed the visitors into an 11th-minute lead against the run of play, meeting Fujino’s cross from the right and steering an effort beyond goalkeeper Lize Kop.
City were buoyed by the goal after their slow start yet conceded in the 32nd minute when substitute Olivia Holdt, who replaced the injured Martha Thomas, won the ball on the edge of the area and squared for Bethany England to finish into the top left corner.
The visitors had over 70 per cent of possession although Spurs created some good chances. Matilda Vinberg missed a one-on-one when she escaped City’s offside trap early in the second half.
City, though, were denied by a stunning goal line clearance from Ashleigh Neville, who acrobatically turned Miedema’s header away off the underside of the crossbar.
But a triple change swung the game in City’s favour with Jill Roord, Mary Fowler and Jess Park coming off the bench to inject life into their attack.
The winner came in the 78th minute as Fujino controlled in the box, shifting the ball onto her left foot and sending a volley into the top left corner.
England had the chance to snatch a point with the last kick of the game but sent her close-range effort straight at the goalkeeper.
Everton inflict more misery on Villa
Maren Mjelde volleys in Everton’s first goal at Aston Villa
Everton inflicted a fourth consecutive defeat on Aston Villa after goals from Maren Mjelde and Honoka Hayashi earned them a 2-0 win at Villa Park.
Villa are second bottom, just four points above Crystal Palace, and are still searching for a first league win under head coach Natalia Arroyo, who replaced Robert de Pauw in January.
Mjelde volleyed the visitors into a 16th-minute lead after the hosts failed to clear from inside their own box although they were second best in the first half as Rachel Daly and Jill Baijings tested Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan.
Villa then had to substitute goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo early in the second half after she suffered a head injury and her replacement Katelin Talbert was at fault for the second goal.
The debutant spilled the ball to Hayashi who did well to fire the ball high into the net from an angle for her fourth goal of the season.
Liverpool win at rock-bottom Palace
Jasmine Matthews celebrates Liverpool’s early goal
Jasmine Matthews’ first-half strike gave Amber Whiteley a winning start to her second stint as Liverpool’s interim manager as the Reds beat rock-bottom Crystal Palace 1-0.
Matt Beard was sacked on Thursday and Palace also had a change in the dugout as Leif Smerud replaced Laura Kaminski on Friday.
Marie-Therese Hobinger headed an early chance wide for Liverpool but Matthews made no mistake in the 10th minute firing in after the hosts failed to clear at a corner.
Palace went close when Rachael Laws saved with her legs to deny Abbie Larkin before Cornelia Kapocs fired over a good chance early in the second half.
My Cato forced Laws into a double save but Palace were unable to find a leveller and their wait for a second WSL victory continues.
