Manchester United Women Match Recap
Just one week after a historic victory at Old Trafford, Manchester United Women lost 1-0 to Brighton in their Women’s Super League clash on Sunday. The Reds need to win their final three matches to have a chance of qualifying for European football next season.
Set Up
Manchester United: Earps, Harris, Thorisdottir, M.Turner, Battle; Groenen, Zelem (c), Hanson (A.Turner 90+2), Toone (Ross 68), James (Staniforth 38), Sigsworth
Substitutes not used: Bentley, Bourne, Smith, Jones
Brighton: Walsh, Koivisto, Le Tissier, Williams (c) (Roe 53), Gibbons, Connolly, Kaagman (Bance 83), Green, Whelan, Brazil; Jarrett (Symonds 75)
Substitutes not used: Fiskerstrand, Startup, Heroum, Simpkins, Olding
Only three changes to Casey Stoney’s team, with Martha Harris, Kirsty Hanson and Jess Sigsworth included in the starting 11. Christen Press and Hayley Ladd were both absent from the squad, with minor injuries.
First Half
Brighton’s Kayleigh Green forced a quick reaction Maria Thorisdottir within minutes, deflecting the ball out for a corner. After a quick start by the hosts, both teams fought for control over an evenly contested match. Jackie Groenen came close to breaking the deadlock with a short spell of United dominance. Lauren James collected the ball on the left after Groenen lobbed it across the goal and, after dodging past Emma Koivisto, curled the ball into the box. Her effort was headed away by the Brighton defence but United regained possession. James slotted a perfectly-timed pass to Ella Toone, who outpaced by two Brighton defenders.
With just over the half left to play, Brighton capitalised from a set-piece as Thorisdottir was penalised for a handball. Brighton converted the subsequent penalty and took the lead. Inessa Kaagman sent keeper Mary Earps the wrong way as the hosts led 1-0.
United looked to bounce back immediately from a set piece of their own. Katie Zelem’s corner in from the right pin-balled in the crowd of players before it found Millie Turner. Turner fired her first-time effort over the crossbar, and she had another chance to equalise in stoppage time; she connected with a free kick in from the right but nodded her chance over the post.
Brighton had their own chance in the dying minutes of the first half, keeping Earps on her toes. She was forced into a dive to save Rianna Jarrett’s chance from outside the penalty area.
Second Half
United started the second half looking for a quick equaliser, but they were denied on multiple occasions by the hosts. A deep pass from Lucy Staniforth found Toone, who then played the ball to Jess Sigsworth. Sigsworth’s chance was thwarted by Brighton’s keeper Megan Walsh, who easily dealt with the threat.
Barely seconds later, captain Zelem was denied twice from the edge of the penalty area. The Seagulls’ defence blocked her first, low shot, before their keeper caught her follow-up chip-shot off the rebound.
Zelem rallied her team forward as they looked for the elusive goal. She had a brilliant link-up with Staniforth, before the hosts’ blocked the powerful shot. Brighton were content to sit deep and hold on to their lead by this point, frustrating United further.
Zelem looked like she finally got her goal in stoppage time, but her header went just wide of goal.
Manchester United Women: Wrap up
It was a disappointing afternoon in the coast for United. Sigsworth came the closest to goal with her header in the first half, but Brighton held on to collect all three points.
The loss sees United dropping down to fourth on the FA WSL table. League rivals Arsenal move into third, ahead on goal difference and with a game in hand. With first and second place out of reach, Stoney’s team now need to win their final three matches and hope for Arsenal to slip up in order to guarantee a spot in the Champions League.
Following the international break, United’s next match will be in the FA Cup fourth-round on April 18. The Reds return to action in the Women’s Super League the week after against Spurs.
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