Page 4 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.20 2022-23

Manchester Utd had the chance to go back to the top of the Barclays WSL
on Sunday when they travelled to Tottenham Hotspur, due to overnight
leaders Chelsea not having a game.
An incident packed final quarter of the game began with Leah Galton
giving United the lead. Beth England kept up her good form since signing for
Spurs by bringing them back on level terms but a minute later, United were
back in front through a Molly Bartrip own goal. With ten minutes
remaining, United were reduced to ten players when Ella Toone was red
carded following an incident involving Eveliina Summanen (this red card
has since been overturned following an appeal) but they held on for a hard earned 2-1 victory
and therefore head the table by a point.
On Saturday, Manchester City moved into the top three for the first time this season
when they won 2-1 against Arsenal. City made a flying start to the game and took a fourth
minute lead through Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly made it two against her former club shortly
before half time. Rafaelle Souza reduced the arrears just before the hour mark but City held out
to stretch their unbeaten run in the league to eleven matches whilst the Gunners, who have been
pacesetters for much of the season, are now three games without a run and xix points off the
pace.
Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa met for the second week in succession and
after the teams had battled out a 1-1 draw seven days earlier, this time it was Villa who stormed
to a 6-2 victory. The Seagulls did start the game well and went ahead in the third minute through
Julia Olme but Villa hit back with a vengeance, Lucy Staniforth bringing them level on the
quarter hour and Kirsty Hanson putting them in front two minutes later. Jordan Nobbs then
netted twice, either side of Rachel Daly’s tenth league goal of the season, to put Carla Ward’s
side in a commanding position at the interval. Danielle Carter pulled one back for Brighton early
in the second half but Villa were to have the final say and midway through the half, Nobbs
wrapped up the scoring when she completed her hat-trick.
The battle at the foot of the table is hotting up
after Leicester City notched up their second Manchester City 2 (Hemp 4, Kelly 43)
victory in three matches, this time winning 1-0 Arsenal 1 (Rafaelle 59)
away to Liverpool. Hannah Cain scored the only -
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (England 75)
goal of the game in the eighth minute to put a halt Manchester Utd 2 (Galton 67, Bartrip og 76)
to the Reds’ recent revival and leave Leicester just -
one point behind Reading FC Women and two Brighton & Hove Albion 2 (Olme 3, Carter pen 49)
adrift from Brighton. Aston Villa 6 (Staniforth 15, Hanson 17, Nobbs 23,43,
The Barclays WSL will now take a short break 69, Daly 36)
for the international period and the Vitality - Liverpool 0
Women’s FA Cup Fifth Round, before returning to Leicester City 1 (Cain 8)
action on Sunday 5th March.
BARCLAYS WSL P W D L F A Pts GD
MANCHESTER UTD 13 10 2 1 33 7 32 26
CHELSEA 12 10 1 1 35 11 31 24 LEADING SCORERS
MANCHESTER CITY 13 9 2 2 27 12 29 Rachel DALY Aston Villa 10
15
19
ARSENAL 12 8 2 2 27 8 26 Khadija SHAW Manchester City 10
ASTON VILLA 13 6 2 5 23 24 20 Sam KERR Chelsea 6
-1
EVERTON 12 6 1 5 16 12 19 Fran KIRBY Chelsea 6
4
WEST HAM UTD 13 5 1 7 15 22 16 -7
Katie STENGEL Liverpool 6
LIVERPOOL 12 3 2 7 13 23 11 -10
Dagny BRYNJARSDOTTIR West Ham Utd 5
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 12 3 0 9 15 24 9 -9
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 11 2 2 7 14 39 8 -25
READING FC WOMEN 13 2 1 10 14 29 7 -15
LEICESTER CITY 12 2 0 10 6 27 6 -21
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