St. Polten 0-3 Manchester City Women: match report
- Superb start for City as England trio put three past the Austrian Champions.
- Goals from Demi Stokes, Steph Houghton and Nikita Parris secured City the first leg win.
Last night Manchester City Women’s team capped off their opening Champions League last 32 tie with a 3-0 away win over St. Polten.
Goals from Stokes, Houghton and Parris mean City have scored a total of 12 goals in their three opening games of the season.
The opening exchanges were evenly matched with St. Polten creating several chances through their forward Mateja Zver, who kept City keeper Ellie Roebuck on her toes. Georgia Stanway went close for City early on but put the ball just wide of the post. Shortly after City took the lead.
On twenty three minutes Izzy Christiansen played a through ball that was greeted by left back Stokes who’s shot left the St. Polten keeper, Jasmin Boisits, helpless as the ball went in off the crossbar.
Nick Cushing’s City side looked comfortable and were unlucky not to extend their lead further. Stanway had an effort that was comfortably claimed by Boisits and Parris headed a chance wide.
A second goal did come shortly after through none other than City captain Steph Houghton. City were awarded a free-kick on the half hour mark after City defender Megan Campbell was fouled by St. Polten’s Stefanie Enzinger. In typical fashion Houghton stepped up and drove the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.
Four minutes later Parris headed in a Stokes assist giving the Blues a three goal lead, killing the game off before half time.
Chances were created by both sides in the second half but the score line remained the same. Houghton had a goal disallowed late on but it mattered not as City captured the win.
City will take a three goal advantage into next Thursdays second leg at the Academy Stadium, as they aim to progress to the last sixteen of the competition.