Blindkilde Brown hits decisive sudden-death penalty for Manchester City against Newcastle United | OneFootball

Laura Blindkilde Brown (Katie Chan)

Laura Blindkilde Brown kept her nerve to score the decisive penalty in a sudden-death shoot-out in the Subway Women’s League Cup – giving Manchester City a group-stage win over second-tier Newcastle United.

It could have been an embarrassing result for City, though, currently second in the Women’s Super League – against the team fourth from bottom in the Women’s Championship.

The score was 3-3 after 90 minutes, and Andree Jeglertz’s team edged the shoot-out 7-6 after the Magpies scored two late on.

Lois Joel had opened the scoring in Gateshead after 11 minutes, and Laura Coombs netted in first-half added time to send City in level at the break.

Yui Hasegawa and Gracie Prior put City 3-1 up – but Freya Gregory grabbed one back in the 82nd minute, and Shania Hayles got the equaliser as full-time approached.

Both sides scored their first six penalties before Newcastle captain Demi Stokes saw hers saved by Khiara Keating – and Lioness Blinkilde Brown did not flinch as she gave her side the additional point.

It puts City on top of Group A, with two matches played. Newcastle are bottom of the group, while Nottingham Forest are second, ahead of third-placed Everton on goal difference.

Coombs: Penalties are never nice

City’s first goalscorer Laura Coombs spoke to the club’s official website after the match, and said: “Penalties are never nice. You never know when they’re going to go your way or not, so we’re happy we picked up the two points.

“[Newcastle] had a lot of fight. They scored first before we scored three, but they still had the fight to the end.

“We let ourselves down a little bit in the last 10 minutes, but all credit to them because they pushed to the end.”

City now have almost two weeks off with the upcoming international break. Their next match is against West Ham United in the Women’s Super League on Saturday, 1st November.

“I think everyone needs a little break,” admitted Coombs.

“I feel like we always come back really sharp when everyone goes away and has time for themselves so I’m looking forward to getting back to it [then].”