Ryan Asman

Lauren Hemp and debutant Jill Roord scored goals early in the second half as Manchester City beat West Ham United 2-0 in the Women’s Super League on Sunday at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.  The Hammers Mackenzie Arnold saved Chloe Kelly’s penalty between the goals.  Leila Ouahabi was sent off for City later in the match.

In her first match in charge of West Ham, Rehanne Skinner gave a debut to Japanese international forward Riko Ueki.  She lined her side up in a 5-3-2 formation.

Gareth Taylor was without the injured Bunny Shaw for Manchester City so Hemp started in the centre position with Mary Fowler and Kelly out wide.  Taylor lined his side up in a 4-3-3 formation.

Roord had the first shot at goal for the visitors in the 5th minute which went wide.  Roord then dispossessed the home sides Honoka Hayashi before chipping the ball over from the edge of the area in the 15th minute.  In the 21st minute, Kelly sent in a good cross from the right side that Fowler put over for City.

For a lot of the first half, Manchester City had a lot of possession but didn’t create that many chances whilst West Ham looked at their most threatening on the break but didn’t force Khiara Keating to make any saves.

The visitors next chance came in the 37th minute when Ouahabi effort from 20 yards straight at Arnold.  A minute later, the assured Keating came out and claimed a West Ham cross. 

Fowler and Hemp swapped positions late in the first half, and it was Hemp coming in from the left side who had City’s next attempt three minutes before half time but put it over.   Arnold stopped a Hemp header right on half time but the offside flag was up anyway.

Ueki forced Keating into a diving save in the first 15 seconds of the second half with West Ham’s first, and only, shot on target in the match.

Manchester City went ahead in the 48th minute when Hemp received a pass from Laia Aleixandri and finished with a lovely curling effort from outside the area into the corner of the net.

The visitors were awarded a penalty a minute later after Shannon Cooke handballed in the area.  Kelly took the spot kick but Arnold dived to her right and made a fantastic save to keep it out.

In the 55th minute, club record signing Roord doubled City’s lead when she got between two West Ham defenders and onto a pass from Aleixandri before finishing with a shot into the bottom corner from 10-yards.

Denya Castellanos had the visitors next couple of chances with a half volley that Arnold saved a couple of minutes after their second goal, then a low shot straight at the Australian international goalkeeper in the 64th minute. 

Ouahabi was sent off for City after she brought down Emma Harries in the 71st minute.  There was a slight delay before the free kick was given and another slight delay before the red card was shown whilst it looked like the referee was checking with some of the other officials.

The Hammers Shannon Cooke curled an effort wide in the 84th minute. Two minutes later, Asseyi had a chance but put it wide as the home side looked to get a goal back.

Filippa Angeldahl had the last chance of the match for the away side during stoppage time at the end of the second half but her shot was easily saved.

Both sides are next in action again next Sunday in the WSL with West Ham travelling to Brighton, whilst Manchester City host champions Chelsea.

Line ups

West Ham United (5-3-2): Arnold (c), Evans, Shimizu, Cissoko, Cooke, Smith, Stringer (Denton 76’), Filis (Flannery 76’), Hayashi, Ueki (Harries 60’), Asseyi

Unused substitutes: Walsh, Atkinson, Ziu, Ademiluyi

Booked - Cissoko

Manchester City (4-3-3): Keating, Aleixandri, Kennedy, Greenwood (c), Ouahabi, Castellanos (Blaksted 83’), Hasegawa, Roord (Angeldahl 89’), Kelly (Casparij 76’), Hemp, Fowler

Unused substitutes: Roebuck, Houghton, Coombs, Morgan, Park, Mace

Goals – Hemp 48’, Roord 55’

Booked – Castellanos

Sent off – Ouahabi 71’

Referee – Abigail Byrne