Manchester United vs Leicester City FA Cup Recap
Despite leading twice, Manchester United bow out of the FA Cup after a 3-2 defeat to Leicester City. Read on for a recap of Manchester United vs Leicester City.
Jess Sigsworth and Jane Ross put United ahead on either side of a Shannon O’Brien equaliser for Leicester, but two quick second-half goals from Hannah Cain and Natasha Flint gave the visitors the victory.
This means that Casey Stoney will finish her managerial campaign at United with a defeat, as she announced her intent to step down as head coach earlier this week.
Set Up
Manchester United: Earps, Harris, Thorisdottir, M. Turner, Smith, Zelem (c), Ross (Jones 75), Staniforth, Hanson, Sigsworth (Toone 75), Galton (Batlle 46)
Substitutes not used: Bentley, A. Turner
Leicester City: Levell Smith, Tierney, Plumptre, Howard Allen, Barker (c) Flint, Cain, Paul O’Brien (Devlin 60)
Substitutes not used: Lambourne, Harris, Riglar, Fleming, Thomas, Ferguson, Wood, Camwell.
Stoney made five changes from the team that won convincingly over Everton, with Leah Galton coming back into the lineup for her first start since her ankle injury back in February.
First Half
Keen to make her mark after a long absence, Galton nearly got the opening goal barely five minutes in. Kirsty Hanson charged down the right before spotting Galton in the box, but she couldn’t direct her header to goal.
Hanson had a confident performance, creating chances for her teammates and nearly got the assist for Sigsworth but Leicester’s keeper was there to deny the hosts.
Keeper Kirstie Levell had a busy half, stopping chances from Galton and Ross, but United’s persistence paid off. Galton spotted an on-form Sigsworth who feigned a shot to make space and shoot the ball in from close range to give the hosts the lead.
Leicester made it a tough match for United and grew in confidence as the match progressed. The Championship winners surged ahead in stoppage time and got the equaliser to give the Foxes a fighting chance. Natasha Flint found Shannon O’Brien, who picked out the bottom corner on the turn to tie the game.
Second Half
The hosts looked to take back the lead after the break, and almost did so in the 57th minute, but Levell denied them again. Hanson’s strike looked goal-bound, but Lavell punched it away from her area and United were still left searching.
The Reds got the lead again just before the hour-mark. Ona Batlle played a clever one-two with Ross who drove in from the right before firing for goal; her low strike deflected in to make it 2-1. Batlle, United’s Women’s Player of the Year made a huge impact coming off the bench for Galton. Her header looked to extend the hosts’ lead but Leicester’s defence did well to clear it off the line.
From the subsequent corner, Sigsworth pulled back to try and head the ball towards goal, denied yet again by Levell.
United paid the price of some careless defending with 20 minutes left to go. Hannah Cain capitalised on a loose back-pass from Maria Thorisdottir to make it 2-2. After the restart, Flint charged forward to slide the winner into the back of the net for the visitors.
United needed a response and fast as the match was approaching the dying minutes. Substitutes Ella Toone and Carrie Jones offered the hosts some reprieve as Leicester looked to take control. Jones could have made it 3-all but her shot went just wide after a well-timed pass from Lucy Staniforth picked her out.
Leicester, meanwhile, weren’t content with just a one-goal lead and could have made it 4-2. Flint tried her luck again from the edge of the box but found the side of the net.
With five minutes of stoppage time added, United tried to capitalise on a series of late set-pieces and corners, but Leicester held on to advance to the next round.
Wrap up
Stoney could only look on as her team went ahead twice before finally losing to a Leicester side that won promotion to the FA WSL. “I believe this team has a bright future and I will be their biggest supporter moving forward. I’ll have a rest and recalibrate,” she said. “It’s not the way I would have wanted to end, not for a selfish reason but because I wanted this club to be in the FA Cup…. We could have done better and… I’m never satisfied. My standards are stupidly high and I don’t want it to be any other way.”
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