Casparij strike helps City overcome Brighton

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Manchester City F.C.

·30. März 2025

Casparij strike helps City overcome Brighton

Kerstin Casparij's first goal of the WSL season helped Manchester City to a 2-1 win over Brighton ahead of the international break.

Both teams had a flurry of chances in the first 45, but it was the Dutch defender who broke the deadlock as Mary Fowler pinpointed the full-back before the former slotted home.

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Despite an eventful first-half and a second in the same fashion, it took until added time for either side to break through the defence.

Arguably against the run of play, City extended our lead as Vivianne Miedema doubled our lead thumping the ball into the net from close range.

It looked as if we would come away with a clean sheet, but a late goal from Charlize Rule pulled one back with just minutes to spare.

But it could act as a consolation goal as we became the first team to win at the Broadfield Stadium in the league this season.

What Happened

City were looking to return to winning ways after a testing string of fixtures against Chelsea.

Brighton stood in between us and three points, but it would be nothing short of easy as the Seagulls hadn’t lost a game at home in the WSL all season.

After Laia Alexandri was forced out of the lineup during the warm-ups onlooking fans had to hold their breath as Leila Ouahabi went down with a head injury just one minute into the match.

With an extensive injury list, it looked to be another blow to our squad as an accidental arm to Ouahabi’s head caught the Spanish International as both players went up for the header.

Thankfully our No.15 was soon back on her feet and continued to play on and supporters could let out a huge sigh of relief.

Despite the early injury scare, City almost took the lead when Fowler chased down Brighton keeper Melina Loeck to block her pass out from the back, but the ball strayed just wide of the goal.

At the other end of the pitch, the Seagulls broke through on the counter as Fran Kirby’s through ball found Poppy Pattinson who composed herself before she fired the shot straight at Khiara Keating.

All the game needed was a goal as both teams pushed to find the opener and it was City who broke through on 37 minutes.

It was Fowler who found Casparij in the Brighton box before our flying full-back turned winger calmly turned the ball into Loeck’s net.

It was the full-back’s first -ever WSL goal and Fowler’s seventh assist – she now has more than any player in the WSL this season.

The tempo stepped up after we took the all-important lead, as Brighton searched for an immediate response.

Kiko Seike danced in and out on the edge of the box before she launched a fantastic effort towards the top corner, but Keating stopped the shot at her near post.

After a high intensity 45 minutes, Fowler glided a ball inside the penalty box to Yui Hasegawa before the Japan international’s shot bounced off Guro Bergsvand and out for a City corner.

The second-half continued in the same manner as the first ended with both sides pushing for the next goal.

Following a Brighton free-kick, the Seagulls scrambled to win the ball back in the area as it fell to Seike whose shot dipped as it flew towards the City net, but thankfully it whistled over the bar.

But Brighton’s threat to find an equaliser was far from over as Bremer whipped a ball into Nikita Parris who looked to take a difficult shot in front of Keating yet her attempt fell just wide of the City net.

As the clock ticked into the final 20 minutes, the tempo stepped up another notch as Bremer looked to threaten us again with a dangerous cross into the area, but City dealt with it really well under pressure.

It was end to end as Kerolin Nicoli charged goal then two minutes later Brighton came close to an equaliser, but thanks to Gracie Prior’s excellent defensive effort we kept the Seagulls at bay.

The 20-year-old put her body of the line to stop Michelle Agyemang and make a crucial block to keep us ahead.

Despite the Brighton pressure, City pushed on to double our lead as Kerolin made a brilliant run forward against the run of play before she chipped the ball over for Vivienne Miedema in the six-yard box and lashed it into the roof into the net – scoring her eighth goal in 12 appearances.

It had been an eventful match-up between the two sides and the game was summed up as Charlize Rule pulled one back for the hosts just two minutes later.

Player of the match: Kerstin Casparij

The full-back put in an all-round solid performance with stand-out moments helping out in defence as well as going forward at the Broadfield Stadium.

Most notably she scored her first WSL goal of the season and played her part in City's second goal by holding up the defender and allowing Miedema to put her shot away with ease.

How we lined up

Nick Cushing made four changes from the side who fell to a 3-0 defeat against Chelsea in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final.

That means Naomi Layzell, Laura Coombs, Jess Park and Laura Wienroither all came into the team for Jill Roord, Kerolin Nicoli, Vivianne Miedema and Laia Aleixandri.

Khiara Keating started in goal, with a back four of Layzell, Prior, Wienroither and Ouahabi in front of her.

Our midfield consisted of Hasegawa, Coombs and Park.

With Mary Fowler leading the line in-between Murphy on the left wing and Casparij on the right wing.

Brighton XI: Loeck, Thorisdottir, Pattinson (Bremer 65'), Bergsvand (C)(Hayes 46'), Parris, Seike, Kirby, Noordam (Cancovic 65'), Symonds, Haley (Agyemang 20'), Auee (Rule 81')

Subs: Baggaley, Olislagers, Stefanovic, Mclauchlan

City XI: Keating, Layzell, Prior, Wienroither, Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Park (Miedema 66'), Coombs, Casparij, Murphy (Kerolin Nicoli 60'), Fowler (Roord 66')

Subs: Annets, Startup, Oyama, Davies