Man City 5-0 Bristol City: First-half demolition job sets up victory

Manchester City made their Women’s Super League title intentions clear with a 5-0 demolition of newly-promoted Bristol City at the Joie Stadium.

The victory, with all the goals scored in the first half, ensured Gareth Taylor’s team extended their unbeaten home record to 21 matches at their newly-named home ground.

However, the defeat leaves the visitors without a point after three games as they struggle to adapt to life back in the top division.

City, who were without England’s Lauren Hemp due to a shoulder injury, took control from the start with the experienced midfield trio of Yui Hasegawa, Jill Roord and Filippa Angeldahl dominating possession.

Spain international defender Laia Aleixandri was also stepping into midfield to support, allowing full backs Alex Greenwood and Esme Morgan plenty of space on both flanks.

The home team’s formation was constantly changing. Greenwood and Morgan occasionally switched wings and wide players Mary Fowler and Chloe Kelly stretched the visiting defence by playing in a succession of tantalising crosses.

After just nine minutes Netherlands international Roord opened the scoring by nodding home from very close range after Khadija Shaw’s header had hit the underside of the crossbar.

The pressure was relentless and the only surprise was that it took until the 34th minute for the hosts to double their lead. Greenwood’s outswinging free-kick from the left was glanced home into the far corner by Aleixandri for her first goal for the club.

Shaw, in her first WSL start of the season, got in the act to make it 3-0 four minutes later as she flicked a header past Marckese, following a pinpoint cross by Fowler from the right wing.

It was 4-0 in first-half added time when Roord headed powerfully past Marckese from Fowler’s cross, this time from the left.

There was still time for a fifth, in the sixth minute of additional time, as Shaw finished well after Kelly’s cross-shot had been diverted into her path by Marckese.

The visitors were defensively better in the second half and they could have pulled a goal back just before the hour but Amalie Thestrup shot straight at goalkeeper Khiara Keating from inside the penalty area.

Hasegawa came close to making it 6-0 10 minutes from time but could only find the side-netting when well-placed, before Kelly stung the palms of Marckese with an effort from long range.

Shaw almost completed her hat-trick with the final action of the match but Marckese did well as the Jamaica international tried to take the ball past her.