Manchester City had to come through a major scare against the Austrian underdogs St Pölten to secure a seesaw victory in the Women’s Champions League.
Just a week after putting in one of the finest performances in the club’s history to deservedly beat the defending European champions Barcelona Gareth Taylor’s side were given a major wake-up call when they slipped 2-1 behind early in the second half. But, having rested a swathe of first-team big-hitters from the starting lineup, Taylor called in the cavalry in the second half and a late headed winner from the Australia forward Mary Fowler gave them a 3-2 victory that felt inevitable as the early-season Women’s Super League leaders piled on pressure.
The performance will still have given Taylor plenty to ponder, however, on a night when his side’s defending from set pieces was especially poor, and they demonstrated a frustrating profligacy in front of goal at the other end.
Initially, it had appeared it would be a straightforward night when Alanna Kennedy went out of character to blast a scorching, long-range strike into the far corner to open the scoring for City inside the first five minutes. It was the Australia centre-back’s first goal in club football since scoring in a win over Birmingham City in May 2022, and her first goal in the Women’s Champions League. “It was a hell of a hit,” said Taylor afterwards. “To be honest I wasn’t sure when she took the strike it was the right call but she proved me wrong.”
Kennedy then spurned a chance fans would have expected her to convert, glancing a header wide at the back post from a Fowler corner when only two yards out. Laura Blindkilde Brown also placed wide, rather tamely, from close range with another gilt-edged City chance in a first half when they were being held up by a series of fine saves from Carina Schlüter. The goalkeeper gave St Pölten hope by denying Jess Park, the Japan forward Aoba Fujino and Fowler, before Fowler saw a deflected effort hit the crossbar.
The home side then capitalised on some sloppy City defending to equalise, Melanie Brunnthaler tucking in the leveller. Taylor brought on the Jamaica striker Khadija Shaw at half-time – seemingly much earlier than planned – in response to the scoreline, but two more excellent saves from Schlüter kept the scores level before the Austrians – who picked up just a single point in the group stages of last season’s Champions League – took a shock lead when Kamila Dubcova fired into the corner on the turn. This time it was a deep free-kick which City did not clear, allowing the Czech Republic midfielder to swivel and score in the second phase.
Barcelona bounced imperiously back from their defeat at Manchester City last week and Hammarby caught the nine-goal backlash.
Caroline Graham Hansen started the rout of the Swedish champions in the 10th minute, and the Norway forward's two-goal haul was matched by Claudia Pina as the Women's Champions League holders ran riot. It matched Barcelona’s biggest win this season at the Johan Cruyff Stadium: the 10-1 win against Granada last month.
Pernille Harder followed up her 13-minute hat-trick against Arsenal by scoring Bayern Munich's second goal in a 2-0 win at Juventus.
The Denmark veteran pounced on a loose ball in the goalmouth after a corner in to wrap up the victory. It was a near-copy of how Bayern opened the scoring in the first half when a scramble in the goalmouth led to Linda Dallmann’s volleyed shot.
Bayern’s two wins in Group C bookended their first loss in the German league in almost two years, 2-0 against two-time European champions Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Within four minutes of falling behind, Fujino volleyed in from Chloe Kelly’s perfectly weighted cross to make it 2-2, but Taylor was not satisfied – a triple change introduced A-listers Lauren Hemp, Jill Roord and Laia Aleixandri, and with them came City domination. Eventually, a lethal inswinging corner from Hemp was headed in by Fowler to keep City’s winning start to their Champions League campaign intact.
“I’m just really pleased to get the three points,” said a relieved Taylor. “I thought it was a difficult game on a really difficult pitch. You could see how bobbly it was so we couldn’t really play centrally and the space was out wide. When you play teams like Polten who people expect to be an easy three points, these games certainly aren’t.”
Taylor’s much-changed starting side included a senior club debut for the 18-year-old Codie Thomas, and the manager will have been encouraged by elements of her performance at right-back. “It was magical for her to make her debut in this competition,” said Taylor. “I’m really pleased she’s got that first taste of first team football.” The academy product was given a chance a week after another young City defender, the 20-year-old England Under-23 international Naomi Layzell, had been a surprise star of the victory over Barcelona with a goal and assist.
There was also some cause for encouragement for Kelly, who started the game after being an unused substitute in the wins against Barcelona and Liverpool. Her reduction in game time so far this season had prompted reports that she is considering leaving the club, apparently after falling out with Taylor, but on Tuesday he called the story “a non-event” and said he was happy with Kelly. Her assist for Fujino’s second-half equaliser was vital to the comeback.
