Birmingham City Women 0-1 Manchester City Women: Shaw on target as City progress to FA Cup semi-finals

Birmingham City Women 0-1 Manchester City Women: Shaw on target as City progress to FA Cup semi-finals

Manchester City Women’s Bunny Shaw netted her 21st goal of the season on Monday afternoon as the Citizens booked their place in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup semi-finals with a 1-0 win over Birmingham City.

Shaw’s goal in the opening exchanges put Andrée Jeglertz’s side in front in the West Midlands and stern defending from City kept the hosts at bay, with Birmingham City failing to find a response.

Despite being denied twice more by the woodwork in the second period, City held out for a slender victory to set-up a blockbuster semi-final clash with Chelsea.

As it happened

City settled into an early rhythm at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park and came close to breaking the deadlock when Lauren Hemp burst to the byline, but her cross was hooked away by Blues defender Shannon Cooke.

The WSL leaders did get their noses in front in the eighth minute however, as a swift transitional move proved Amy Merrick’s side’s undoing. Shaw raced onto Iman Beney’s perfectly weighted ball in behind and delicately slipped her effort past Lucy Thomas.

Hemp nearly doubled the visitors’ advantage when she volleyed a sliced clearance inches wide of the top left-hand corner moments later.

The home side did stabilise as the half progressed and almost levelled six minutes later when Lily Crosthwaite’s delivery narrowly evaded Lotta Lindström.

An end-to-end opening period continued when Laura Coombs nodded Hemp’s ball wide of the post before Aoba Fujino curled into the arms of Thomas.

The woodwork came to Birmingham’s aid seven minutes from the break as Shaw’s effort was turned onto the post by captain Neve Herron to deny the Jamaican a second.

The Blues continued the search for an equaliser after the restart but struggled to turn their advances into opportunities.

The second-half sparked into life in the final 15 minutes when Thomas parried Yui Hasegawa’s shot onto the crossbar, moments before the onrushing Keating collided with Crosthwaite, as the pair surged towards a loose ball.

Thomas once more came to Blues rescue as she denied Hasegawa again from close range, this time pushing the strike over the crossbar and onto the roof of the net.

City struck the woodwork for a third time from the resulting corner as substitute Rebecca Knaak crashed a header off the frame of the goal, whilst Alex Greenwood’s effort rifled over in stoppage time.

Both teams will be battling to secure their respective league titles after the international break, with City nine points clear in the Women’s Super League, meanwhile Birmingham sit at the summit of the Women’s Super League Championship on goal difference.

Analysis: Watertight City cruise into semis

Since a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the beginning of February, City have pieced together a run of five wins and a draw as they romp towards the WSL title – and may yet add cup silverware too.

Jamaican forward Bunny Shaw has grabbed plenty of headlines, racking up her 21st goal of the season at St Andrew’s this afternoon, but Andrée Jeglertz’s side’s defensive solidity has proved just as important.

The Citizens have only let in two goals since that loss to the Gunners, both of which came in a 5-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur, and they didn’t give Birmingham City a sniff at goal as they booked their place in the final four of the competition.

Goalkeeper Khiara Keating was rarely tested and claimed any enticing crosses the hosts sent her way. This is a Birmingham team that have scored more goals than any other side in the Women’s Championship.

City were assured throughout the match and are yet to concede a goal in this season’s competition. It’s sure to be a sterner test when they head to Chelsea in the semi-finals.