Man City vs Barcelona LIVE: Women’s Champions League result and reaction as Bunny Shaw scores against holders
City faced a tough outing in their first match of the group stages
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester City produced a massive performance to beat FC Barcelona 2-0 in their Women’s Champions League group stage opener against the reigning champions.
Gareth Taylor’s side came through qualifying to reach this stage of the tournament and impressed with a superb 8-0 aggregate win over Paris FC - but that was nothing perhaps, compared to taking on the holders of this trophy and beating them in deserved fashion, following a match of two distinct halves.
In the first 45 it was all City as they were aggressive, quicker to the ball, created plenty of openings and eventually scored from close range through Naomi Layzell; Vivienne Miedema could have added another, but the one-goal lead at the break was certainly the least City deserved. After the restart it was Barcelona who were much more on the front foot, but Aitana Bonmati seeing a low shot saved was as close as they came to an equaliser - and Bunny Shaw instead wrapped up the points with a late breakaway goal for the second for City.
Follow all the Women’s Champions League reaction with our live blog below:
44’ - Man City 1-0 Barcelona
Graham Hansen has a first real opportunity to run through and get a shot away - but it’s a weak one and easily saved in the end. Very unlike Barcelona to have had such minimal impact in the final third.
City do then give the ball away trying to play out and they are fortunate to see the offside flag go up. Not the moment to gift an equaliser.
40’ - Man City 1-0 Barcelona
Miedema very nearly opens up enough space to make it 2-0 but Leon makes another formidable block, with Shaw needing some treatment soon after.
Back up and on we go - half-time pretty close now after a great first spell for City.
GOAL! 36’ - Man City 1-0 Barcelona
There’s the opener! Coll, from saving that last chance in brilliant fashion, has absolutely missed everything as she goes to collect the corner which flies to the far post - it’s nodded back across to the goal mouth and Naomi Layzell is there to fly in with a half-shot, half-challenge, wins the ball and prods it over the line!
35’ - Man City 0-0 Barcelona
Massive save from Coll! Another flowing move down the left, Miedema rolls the ball into the path of Park who makes great connection with the shot - and Coll goes flying to her right with a massive palm away!
32’ - Man City 0-0 Barcelona
Shaw surges off down the left this time and is hauled down by Leon - yellow card for the Barcelona defender, once she finishes sitting on the floor protesting that she should have had the foul herself.
Nothing comes of the set piece, but it’s another chink in the armour, another positive for City to take that they can do real damage to Barcelona tonight.
28’ - Man City 0-0 Barcelona
City still on the front foot at every opportunity, Hemp stretching play down the left and Fowler working hard on the right. Barcelona certainly having more chances to push on themselves, but not with any sustained measure and nothing to really trouble City’s back line either.
Just approaching the half-hour mark and it’s seven shots to three in City’s favour, but no efforts on target from them yet.
24’ - Man City 0-0 Barcelona
Another through ball here from Layzell and Shaw is trying to speed in behind the defence - but this time the offside flag is up. City looking early at every opportunity to go behind the Barca back line. Now it’s a cross from Casparij who gets forward from left-back and Shaw leaps, but totally misses her contact with the ball.
City keep coming though and Hemp’s delivery again finds Shaw, but the header is soft and bouncing down to Coll.
20’ - Man City 0-0 Barcelona
What a block! Terrible error as Yamashita comes out, gets nowhere near the ball and it’s an open goal for Pajor it seems...until Aleixandri comes flying in from nowhere and slides the ball away! Tremendous recovery to keep the scores level.
What a start to this game!
18’ - Man City 0-0 Barcelona
So close to an opener! Shaw beats her marker again down the right channel and this time takes her time before pulling the ball across the six-yard box, finding Hemp...and she blazes her effort past Coll and against the post!
City should be ahead, no question. Shaw giving the Barcelona defence all sorts of issues so far. Still 0-0 though!
16’ - Man City 0-0 Barcelona
Putellas with a great first touch to take a bouncing ball and line up a half-volley from the edge of the box - well held by Yamashita.
Up the other end Shaw powers her way past two defenders and produces a cutback for Miedema, but two Barcelona bodies go flying in to block both that shot and the attempt on the rebound.
As Putellas then tries to break out down the left, Aleixandri chops her down - easy yellow card.
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