Manchester United Women were knocked out of the League Cup quarter-finals by their rivals Manchester City.
The Red Devils came out on top in the derby with a fantastic 4-2 win at the Etihad in the league at the weekend but could not repeat the trick last night in the cup.
United made numerous changes from the side that played on Sunday but were edged in a tight affair at the Leigh Sports Village.
The first chance of the game arrived in the first half when City’s Aoba Fujino went on a bombing run down the right-hand side and fired a shot at Phallon Tullis-Joyce who easily collected the ball.
City soon found themselves in front when some nice passing football eventually led to Lily Murphy weaving past the United defence and playing a low cross that was skilfully turned in by Laura Coombs in the 12th minute to give the visitors the perfect start.
The Citizens were well on top now and Coombs found herself through on goal shortly after United were lucky to see her fire her effort well over the bar.
Marc Skinner’s side eventually forced some sort of response when Rachel Williams was first to react to a ricochet in the box but hooked an effort just right off the City goal.
In the 35th minute, United found an equaliser when Melvine Malard’s cross wasn’t dealt with by the visitor and Millie Turner controlled the ball expertly and emphatically fired her shot into the roof of the net.
With their tails up and the home crowd behind them, United poured forward and Simi Awujo saw her long-range effort fizz wide of the goal.
When it looked like the scores would be level at half-time, Murphy produced a moment of magic on the left-hand side as she danced through a couple of defenders and produced a wonderful curling effort that beat Tullis-Joyce into the bottom left-hand corner and off the post, to give the away side the lead once again.
The second half was a much less open affair with many fewer shots on goal but Elisabeth Terland shunned a great chance to equalise when good pressing allowed her to shoot from inside the box but she snatched at the opportunity and sent the ball well over the bar when she should have probably hit the target.
The home side huffed and puffed but could not find a way past a resolute City defence and will have to wait another year to try and win the League Cup.
Skinner’s side is going strong in the league in third place and is still in the FA Cup, so there is still much left to play for in this campaign.
The Women’s team will next be in action on Sunday evening when they play Brighton and Hove Albion.
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Alex Browne
Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Proud owner of such niche shirts such as Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Gary Neville. Grew up pretending to be Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the back garden, with little success.
