Shaw strikes as Albion suffer narrow defeat

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Manchester City 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 0: Albion suffer first defeat of the season in WSL.

Bruce Talbot

2024-09-29T14:15+01:00

Bruna Vilamala goes past her marker. 📷 by Simon Davies.

Albion suffered a narrow defeat to Manchester City after a first-half goal by Khadija Shaw settled a hard-fought affair.

Albion won on their last visit to the Joie Stadium but if that was a smash and grab raid this was anything but as Albion carried a threat and asked questions of one of the best defences in the WSL, particularly in the first half.

Shaw broke the deadlock just before the break and in the second period Albion struggled to create clear-cut opportunities to equalise. Sophie Baggaley made some good saves to make sure they stayed in the game but City saw the game out.

Not surprisingly Dario Vidosic named the team which beat Everton 4-0 on the opening day and Albion gave as good as they got for much of an absorbing first 45.

Kiko Seike darts forward in the first half. 📷 by Simon Davies.

Pauline Bremer made a great break down the left-hand side but her pull-back towards the unmarked Fran Kirby was cut out. Kirby hit a 30-yarder at keeper Ayaka Yamashita and as Albion grew in confidence towards the end of the half they put together another good move down the left which ended with Yamashita blocking Kirby’s low volley.

At the other end Baggaley wasn’t seriously tested until the 41st minute when Shaw twisted and turned and her shot was blocked by Maria Thorisdottir. The rebound fell to Jess Park but she blazes over the bar.

A minute before the break, though, City broke through. Kerstin Casparij played a great ball into the six-yard box from the left and Shaw nipped into space and side-footed into the bottom corner. It was harsh on Albion, given their first-half performance.

Skipper Vicky Losada shields the ball from Vivianne Miedema. 📷 Simon Davies.

A combination of Guro Bergsvand and Jorelyn Carabali blocked Shaw’s close-range shot ten minutes into the second half before Albion made a triple change, bringing on Nikita Parris, Madison Haley and Michelle Agyemang.

The visitors struggled to create chances to draw level, although Laia Aleixandri had to step in to clear after Parris and Kirby linked up inside the box. As City looked to put the game to bed with a second unmarked substitute Mary Fowler lifted her shot over from a great position.

Poppy Pattinson assesses her options at the Joie Stadium. 📷 by Simon Davies.

Baggaley got right behind Lauren Hemp’s powerful strike and a header from Jill Roord to keep Albion in the game but they couldn’t carve out a clear-cut chance at the other end to draw level.

Albion: Baggaley, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Carabali, Pattinson (sub: Symonds 70), Losada, Olislagers (McLauchlan 90+3), Bruna (Parris 57), Kirby, Bremer (Agyemang 57), Seike (Haley 57).