Women's Super League: Man City Take Title Race To Final Day Of The Season

 

Manchester City crushed Birmingham 4-0 to take the Women's Super League title race to the final day of the season, but their victory was overshadowed by a serious-looking injury to two-goal striker Chloe Kelly in the second half.

With Chelsea playing in the Champions League, City were looking for a victory which would take them a point clear at the top of the table and turn up the heat on Emma Hayes's side, who have a game in hand.

They dominated from the start and were 1-0 up after 10 minutes when Lauren Hemp did well to get to the byline and find Caroline Weir with her cut-back.

Weir's low shot was well saved by Hannah Hampton but she could only palm the ball straight into the path of Kelly for a simple tap-in.

Hemp and Kelly were causing their opponents all sorts of problems and they combined again for the second goal after 23 minutes.

Hemp drove to the byline once more and squared for Kelly to tap past Hampton again.

That goal seemed to rally Carla Ward's side, who settled down and defended much more doggedly, although they could not establish any meaningful possession, with Claudia Walker looking isolated up front.

Birmingham stayed resolute after the break and restricted City to speculative shots from distance.

Kelly looked to get her hat-trick, but her driving run after 65 minutes saw her collide heavily with Rebecca Holloway, winning her side a penalty but leaving the pitch on a stretcher in a knee brace in clear discomfort.

After a long break in play, Weir stepped up to take the spot-kick after 72 minutes, but Hampton got down well to her right to palm it away.

Weir had the opportunity to make amends after 77 minutes, but her curling shot from inside the area was foiled once again by Hampton.

Substitute Janine Beckie forced another good save as City probed for a third but struggled to find a way past the impressive Hampton.

The pressure finally told after 85 minutes when Beckie's corner was scrambled in by Esme Morgan.

The visitors succumbed again to a Beckie corner four minutes into added time when substitute Sam Mewis tapped in as City increased the pressure on Chelsea, who take on Tottenham in midweek.