Cushing: City must now attack Champions League second leg | OneFootball

Nick Cushing says City must put our late WSL defeat to Chelsea behind us and ‘attack’ Thursday’s Champions League second leg at Stamford Bridge with the same energy.

Erin Cuthbert’s stoppage time header condemned the Blues to defeat at the Etihad Stadium, having done well to weather a Chelsea second half storm.

City deservedly took a one-goal lead in at the break but should have been two up when Jess Park found the net only for play to be brought back for a foul on Kerolin Nicoli.

Chelsea took advantage when Aggie Beever-Jones drew them level soon after the restart to cancel out Kerolin Nicoli’s opener, before Cuthbert’s late effort completed the turnaround.

It was frustrating for City, but Cushing’s side now have a chance to gain revenge in the Champions League, with a two-goal lead to protect at Stamford Bridge this Thursday.

And our Interim Head Coach has called for his players to attack the game in a similar vein to our three recent clashes with Chelsea.

Speaking on Thursday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg, he said: "I think for us we have to attack it. Today, Wednesday and the League Cup Final, we've shown we can create chances, attack them and score goals.

"A goal for us changes the dynamic, and it does for them. We have to believe we can attack them and create chances with Mary Fowler, Viv [Miedema], Kerolin.

"We’re missing key players but have some exciting attacking players we can use."

CITY 1-2 CHELSEA | MATCH REPORT

City will have to complete that job without Ayaka Yamashita and Laura Blindkilde Brown, though, after Cushing revealed the pair had been added to an already lengthy injury list.

Yamashita’s injury was picked up following Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Chelsea at the Joie Stadium and will likely rule her out for a few weeks, but Blindkilde Brown’s setback is more serious.

“A couple of weeks minimum, it’s not ideal but she won't make the game on Thursday,” Cushing said of Yamashita’s injury.

On Blindkilde Brown, he added: “She’s got the boot on, so if you have that and on crutches it says you probably won't make a game this season.

“It was her ankle, it was unfortunate in training, it was almost a movement but it’s ligaments.”