Review: Zvezda 2005 0-4 Manchester City Women (agg 0-6)
Manchester City Women continued their historic season by progressing into the last 16 of the Women’s Champions League with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Russian side Zvezda 2005.
City went into the game in Russia with a two-goal advantage from the first leg at home and were the favourites to progress into the next round.
City started strong and by half-time had a 2 – 0 lead. Jennifer Beattie opened the scoring after 23 minutes with a close-range volley before Lucy Bronze, who scored in the first leg, slotted the ball past the Zvezda keeper in the 32nd minute.
Much like the first leg, City were on top throughout the majority of the game and soon after half time, in the 52nd minute, were 3-0 up with Beattie scoring her second of the match with a header from a Kosovare Asllani corner.
Zvezda, who have not been beaten at home in the Champions League since 2009, conceded a fourth goal when City midfielder, Izzy Christiansen, struck a beautiful half-volley in the 74th minute.
City keeper Karen Bardsley had little to do throughout the game and was hardly tested. Zvezda’s main chance came after 58 minutes when striker Dryna Apanaschenko’s close range volley was only able to find the cross bar. City are now yet to concede in 19 games.
Having already won both the League and Cup double, Nick Cushing’s side will hope to add yet another piece of silverware to their already successful season. City now await the draw for the last 16, taking place on the 17th October. As for now, City’s first ever Champions League campaign could not be going much better.