Spectacular late strikes from Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly ended Leicester’s dogged resistance to earn Manchester City a seventh successive Women’s Super League victory.
The Foxes frustrated Gareth Taylor’s side for more than 80 minutes with some diligent defending but were undone by two moments of magic from the England forwards.
Hemp broke the deadlock as she adjusted her body brilliantly to acrobatically hook home Khadija Shaw’s cross before Kelly curled in directly from a corner to seal the points.
It had seemed the fates were conspiring to cause the hosts to drop crucial points in the WSL title race with the woodwork, the offside flag and some inspired goalkeeping from Leicester stopper Lize Kop thwarting them.
The quick-fire late double put Taylor’s side top of the table on goal difference – although champions Chelsea will reclaim pole position if they avoid defeat at home to Everton later on Sunday.
Willie Kirk’s Leicester, meanwhile, remain seventh, seven points clear of safety despite a sixth defeat in six WSL meetings with Manchester City.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Man City Women
Formation 4-3-3
- 35Keating
- 18Casparij
- 4Aleixandri
- 5Greenwood
- 15Ouahabi
- 12AngeldahlSubstituted forParkat 63′minutes
- 25Hasegawa
- 7CoombsSubstituted forFowlerat 77′minutes
- 9KellySubstituted forBlindkilde Brownat 90+1′minutes
- 21Shaw
- 11Hemp
Substitutes
- 3Stokes
- 8Fowler
- 14Morgan
- 16Park
- 19Blindkilde Brown
- 22MacIver
- 30Mace
- 33Kennedy
Leicester City Women
Formation 5-4-1
- 23Kop
- 4Bott
- 11Cayman
- 5HowardBooked at 66mins
- 17Thibaud
- 2NevinBooked at 9minsSubstituted forSiemsenat 45′minutes
- 29MomikiSubstituted forWhelanat 78′minutes
- 15TakaradaBooked at 26minsSubstituted forPelganderat 88′minutes
- 3Tierney
- 8RantalaSubstituted forGoodwinat 88′minutes
- 27O’BrienBooked at 57minsSubstituted forRoseat 67′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Leitzig
- 6Palmer
- 7Rose
- 10Whelan
- 12Ale
- 18Pelgander
- 19Siemsen
- 20Goodwin
- 32Baker
Live Text
-
Match ends, Manchester City Women 2, Leicester City Women 0.
-
Second Half ends, Manchester City Women 2, Leicester City Women 0.
-
Corner, Leicester City Women. Conceded by Alex Greenwood.
-
Foul by Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City Women).
-
Missy Goodwin (Leicester City Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Offside, Manchester City Women. Khadija Shaw is caught offside.
-
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Laura Blindkilde Brown replaces Chloe Kelly.
-
Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
-
Foul by Emilia Pelgander (Leicester City Women).
-
Attempt saved. Alex Greenwood (Manchester City Women) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jessica Park.
-
Attempt blocked. Khadija Shaw (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jessica Park.
-
Substitution, Leicester City Women. Emilia Pelgander replaces Saori Takarada.
-
Substitution, Leicester City Women. Missy Goodwin replaces Jutta Rantala.
-
Goal! Manchester City Women 2, Leicester City Women 0. Chloe Kelly (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left to the top right corner following a corner.
-
Corner, Manchester City Women. Conceded by Sophie Howard.
-
Goal! Manchester City Women 1, Leicester City Women 0. Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Khadija Shaw with a cross.
-
Attempt blocked. Chloe Kelly (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Khadija Shaw.
-
Substitution, Leicester City Women. Aileen Whelan replaces Nicole Momiki.
-
Attempt missed. Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Mary Fowler.
-
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Mary Fowler replaces Laura Coombs.