Manchester City moved level on points with Arsenal at the top of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League with a 3-1 win against Everton as they prepare to bid farewell to manager Nick Cushing.
Cushing announced his imminent departure for MLS side New York City FC on Thursday and his team responded with a dominant performance in their first match since the announcement.
Pauline Bremer scored her fourth brace of the season and Gemma Bonner added a third as the Citizens piled pressure on Arsenal before the Gunners’ game at Brighton on Sunday.
On a wet and windy evening, Everton almost caught City cold in the first minute as they turned the ball over and Hannah Cain’s piledriver struck the woodwork.
But the Toffees paid the price for giving the ball away themselves as Caroline Weir teed up Bremer.
Tinja-Riikka Korpela’s reflexes prevented an own goal after Danielle Turner inadvertently headed the ball towards her own her net.
The second goal arrived after another Everton error as Taylor Hinds was caught in possession by Lauren Hemp and Bremer finished with aplomb.
FULL-TIME | A comfortable three points. Nice work, girls! 👏
— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) January 11, 2020
💙 3-1 🔵 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/YTJI1XJwUO
Cain hit the post again before Bremer almost completed her hat-trick with an outrageous overhead kick that clipped the bar.
Bonner put the game to bed when she forced the ball home at the back post from a free-kick.
Korpela denied Georgia Stanway a seemingly certain goal after Kika van Es’ mistake and then pushed Ellen White’s effort onto the post.
Everton grabbed a consolation at the end when Stanway put the ball into her own net at a corner.
To follow the action, buy tickets and sign-up for The FA Player’s live Barclays FA Women’s Super League coverage visit womenscompetitions.thefa.com
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