Five star City gain early Champions League qualification advantage in Paris

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Manchester City F.C.

·18 September 2024

Five star City gain early Champions League qualification advantage in Paris

Manchester City will take a strong UEFA Women’s Champions League Round Two qualification advantage to the Joie Stadium next week after a fantastic 5-0 first-leg win over Paris FC in France.

Vivianne Miedema made the perfect start to life at the Club by scoring the opener on her competitive debut on 36 minutes when firing home from close range.

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That sparked a lightning period for the visitors as Jess Park then doubled our lead two minutes later, and mere seconds after Aoba Fujino had struck the bar, when finishing off a wonderful move which saw her break into the box and whip into the net.

Further goals from Mary Fowler, Park's second and Chloe Kelly made it a night to savour on the European stage.

There is still plenty of work to do in the second and deciding leg to secure passage into the group stage, though, which takes place on Thursday 26 September at the Joie Stadium.

WHAT HAPPENED

A mild evening at the impressive Stade Charlety in France’s capital was a fitting arena for a match of this magnitude and the home and away support were committed to providing a symphony that matched the class on the pitch.

And it was the hosts who created an early opening when Clara Mateo found space down the right and drilled an effort into Ayaka Yamashita’s hands with the Japan international able to hold the stinging attempt.

The goalkeeper was one of three competitive City debutants on the field alongside international colleague Fujino and Netherlands forward Miedema after the trio had arrived in the summer and impressed in pre-season.

The Club’s Definitely City kit, designed in collaboration with Noel Gallagher, was also being seen for the first time with our players donning the special edition jersey in Paris - and it can be purchased here.

The visitors then tested the defensive capabilities of our opponents with Park’s attempt from range heroically blocked before Lauren Hemp’s effort from the edge of the box curled just past the top corner.

‘They are one of the most aggressive pressing teams I've seen’ were Gareth Taylor’s pre-match thoughts and his sentiments rang true midway through the first-half with City’s pace in defence able to thwart Paris counter-attacks when turnovers were forced.

But the visitors were finding our feet, and came within a width of the post away from the opener when Casparij burst down the right before her low cross was turned into the wrong side of the netting from Mary Fowler who had darted towards the near post.

In the blink of an eye, and approaching the final 15 minutes of the first half, the game sprang into life with two quickfire goals from the Blues of the highest quality.

The first came from the WSL's all-time top goalscorer Miedema who expertly lost her marker inside the box to meet Park’s cross and slammed an unstoppable volley past Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Buoyed by our opener, we immediately went on the offensive as Fujino thundered an effort off the bar.

But from the resultant corner, another intricate move allowed Park to play a neat one-two with Fowler and Hemp, the latter producing a jaw-dropping backheel, before the former strode into the box and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with a venomous effort.

We then carried our momentum into the second half and extended the lead further when City’s press paid dividends.

Fowler latched onto hesitation from Nnadozie to retrieve the ball and tap into an empty net, seconds after the stopper had saved at the feet of Hemp.

Any pre-match nerves were extinguished 10 minutes after the restart and we continued to play with swagger and confidence.

Miedema in particular was showing why she's been one of the game's finest operators over the past decade when skipping past a challenge and testing Paris' goalkeeper from distance.

Operating from midfield as she did phenomenally last year in the absence of Jill Roord, Park also continued to stamp her authority on proceedings when scoring our fourth with a real poacher's instinct, tapping home a rebound after Hemp's header was well saved.

Regardless of our advantage, the hosts still showed they packed quality aplenty when Mateo latched onto a precise pass to force a one against one with Yamashita, but our goalkeeper stood tall and spectacularly saved.

Despite Paris pushing for a way back into the game, City maintained our tireless intensity and a fifth arrived with little over 10 minutes remaining when Hemp utilised her pace to sprint into the box and round the keeper.

Her effort kissed the post, but substitute Kelly was on hand to tap into an empty net.

It represented the last goal of the night on a superb evening for the Blues, and there was further reason to celebrate with youngster Lily Murphy making her senior debut from the bench.

Onto the Joie Stadium in eight days' time via our WSL opener with Arsenal this weekend.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: JESS PARK

Another defining night in the City career of 22-year-old Park with the England international scoring twice and registering an assist.

A constant threat with her direct, quick runs - her endeavour on and off the ball from midfield were crucial to our victory in France's capital.

HOW WE LINED-UP

Ayaka Yamashita was protected between the sticks by a back four of Kerstin Casparij, Laia Aleixandri, Alex Greenwood and Leila Ouahabi.

Ever-present in the engine room Yui Hasegawa was at the base of our midfield with Jess Park and Vivianne Miedema operating ahead of the Japan international.

Mary Fowler then led the line with Lauren Hemp and Aoba Fujino on either flank – meaning Gareth Taylor handed competitive debuts to three of summer signings in the 20-year-old, Yamashita and Miedema.

Paris FC XI: Nnadozie, Ould Hocine, Korosec (Le Mouel 58'), Corboz, Mateo, Dufour (Garbino 77'), Thiney (C) (Bussy 58'), N’Dongala (Bogaert 69'), Greboval (Sissoko 58), Davis.

Unused substitutes: Marques, Flagellat, Hunter, Multo.

City XI: Yamashita, Casparij, Aleixandri (Kennedy 86'), Greenwood (C), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Park, Miedema (Blindkilde Brown 74'), Fujino (Kelly 75'), Fowler, Hemp (Murphy 80').

Unused substitutes: Keating, Startup, Layzell, Coombs, Prior, Thomas, O’Carroll.