Mary Fowler headed Manchester City to Champions League victory at St Polten as they left it late to snatch the points in a five-goal Group D thriller.
City, who dispatched champions Barcelona in their opening fixture, led through Australia international defender Alanna Kennedy’s early piledriver at the Generali Arena in Vienna, but found themselves trailing after Melanie Brunnthaler levelled and Kamila Dubcova put the hosts ahead.
Japan international Aoba Fujino dragged Gareth Taylor’s side back into it with her first goal for the club, but it was Kennedy’s Matildas team-mate Fowler who secured the win with an 80th-minute header to maintain their 100 per cent start to the group stage.
FULL-TIME | +3 on the road in Austria! 👊
🔵 2-3 🩵 #ManCity | #UWCL pic.twitter.com/gKiIZDCZOd
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) October 16, 2024
Taylor handed 18-year-old full-back Codie Thomas a senior debut in one of six changes to the side which started Sunday’s 2-1 Women’s Super League victory at Liverpool, but there was no place in the squad for striker Vivianne Miedema as she continued to work her way back from injury.
However if there were any fears a new-look side might not gel initially, they were dispelled within five minutes as the visitors took the lead in spectacular style.
After Thomas had surged forward into enemy territory, Chloe Kelly crossed for Fujino to set up the fast-arriving Kennedy, who blasted past goalkeeper Carina Schluter from the edge of the box.
Take a bow, Alanna Kennedy 🇦🇺🚀#UWCL pic.twitter.com/M1qF4j6cvn
— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) October 16, 2024
Schluter did well to prevent further damage when skipper Jennifer Klein almost diverted Jessica Park’s cross into her own net, and then clawed away the England international’s 11th-minute shot, but opposite number Khiara Keating denied Dubcova after Alex Greenwood had blocked her initial attempt at the other end.
Mateja Zver almost caught Keating off her line with an audacious free-kick from just inside the City half with the Austrian champions responding to the early setback, although Laura Blindkilde Brown and Kennedy both went close to a second for the visitors as the half-hour mark came and went.
Blindkilde Brown forced a fine save from Schluter, who then parried a second attempt from the midfielder to Fujino, who hit the woodwork after dragging the ball back, and the goal frame came to St Polten’s rescue once again eight minutes before the break when Fowler’s shot was deflected on to the crossbar by Brunnthaler.
GET IN! 👊
🔵 2-2 🩵 #ManCity | #UWCL pic.twitter.com/Fydc5ShcMG
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) October 16, 2024
However, the Austrian striker was in the right place at the right time at the other end to stab home a 40th-minute equaliser after City had failed to deal with a corner.
Kelly passed up an early second-half opportunity to restore City’s lead when she stabbed wide from a Fujino cross and Schluter tipped a Fowler effort over, and the Austrian side took the lead when Dubcova dispatched a 53rd-minute volley after Melike Pekel had helped on Maria Mikolajova’s cross.
The WSL leaders had been behind for just four minutes when Fujino swept home Kelly’s cross but they had to wait until 10 minutes from time to restore their advantage, Fowler heading substitute Lauren Hemp’s corner home to snatch victory.
Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledged no one at Nottingham Forest expected to be third in April but backed his team to embrace the challenge after they started a huge week with victory at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth in the Premier League after weekend wins for Champions League qualification rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa, yet responded with aplomb in the capital.Early efforts...
Chris Wood’s 19th goal of the season fired Nottingham Forest back up to third in the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Tottenham.Forest had slipped to sixth after the weekend’s results, but Nuno Espirito Santo savoured a sweet three points against old club Spurs after early goals from Elliot Anderson and Wood in the capital.It brought Ange Postecoglou’s team back down to earth aft...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted his players for holding their nerve after a 6-0 home win against Stoke helped seal promotion back to the Premier League.Joel Piroe scored four goals, including Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick, with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gn...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill sent the Clarets back into the Premier League with both goals in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United that also saw Leeds promoted and left the Blades relying on the play-offs.Scott Parker made it three promotions with three different clubs in the space of six seasons as Burnley extended their unbeaten league run to a club-record 31 games, bouncing straight back to the Pr...
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill joked the Clarets had “bored our way to the Premier League” after a 2-1 win at home to Sheffield United confirmed their return to the top flight at the first attempt.Scott Parker’s side have conceded just 15 goals in 44 matches and victory over their promotion rivals ensured they could not be caught with two matches remaining.“I’m speech...
West Brom have announced the departure of Tony Mowbray after the club’s play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 Championship defeat at home to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes...
Ian Holloway emphasised his pride in his resurgent Swindon side, despite Will Wright’s own goal against Bromley ending their slim play-off hopes.Danny Imray nutmegged Tom Nichols on the byline and fired a low ball into the box which bounced off the hapless defender’s shin in the 88th minute, condemning the Robins to a 1-0 loss.Kabongo Tshimanga had earlier missed a first-half penalty f...
Grant McCann admitted the task ahead for him is to keep his players calm after Doncaster put themselves within touching distance of promotion with a 3-0 win over Colchester.Goals from Harry Clifton, Jordan Gibson and Patrick Kelly saw Rovers power into top spot in League Two.It means a victory over promotion rivals Bradford this weekend will see them promoted to League One but McCann is determined...
Leeds boss Daniel Farke saluted four-goal Joel Piroe after his side thrashed Stoke 6-0 at Elland Road to stand on the brink of Premier League promotion.Piroe fired Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.Willy Gnonto headed Leeds’ sixt...
Tony Mowbray felt West Brom “lacked a bit of courage on the ball” as their play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Derby.The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes until ...
- 1 Jordan Bowery earns Mansfield a point at Rotherham
- 2 Man City in pole position to secure Morgan Gibbs
- 3 Arteta makes exciting Arsenal transfer claim
- 4 Grant McCann to keep Doncaster players calm despite being on brink of promotion
- 5 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 6 Mentality and spirit unbelievable – Daniel Farke praises promoted Leeds players
- 7 Four Tottenham stars could leave this summer
- 8 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive
- 9 Big Brother legend Chanelle Hayes flaunts weight loss in red bikini
- 10 Newcastle continue to impress in absence of Eddie Howe with Crystal Palace rout