Manchester City Women vs FC Barcelona Women. Women's Champions League Quarter Final.
City Football Academy.
2-4
Report and free match highlights as Janine Beckie and a Sam Mewis penalty sees Man City win the second leg, but were unable to overturn the 3-0 deficit from the first leg; Former Arsenal and Liverpool striker Asisat Oshoala scores again for Barcelona, who make it to the semi-finals
Wednesday 31 March 2021 20:42, UK
Manchester City have been knocked out of the Women's Champions League, losing 4-2 on aggregate to Barcelona Femeni, despite winning the second leg 2-1 in a spirited performance.
Man City already had a tough task ahead, having lost 3-0 in the first leg last Wednesday, but were much-improved throughout.
They made the perfect start when Janine Beckie (20) turned home from close range, but had Lucy Bronze to thank for two sensational blocks late in the first half, with Ellie Roebuck also impressive again.
But Barcelona made the breakthrough and nabbed the vital away goal in the 59th minute. Asisat Oshoala, who scored in the first leg, found the net again for the equaliser as she turned home Caroline Graham Hansen's cross.
Man City retook the lead and put the pressure on Barcelona again a few minutes later when they were awarded a penalty. Chloe Kelly crucially had a penalty saved in the first leg, but Sam Mewis (68) expertly dispatched from the spot this time.
But it was not enough to inspire a Man City comeback as they were knocked out of the Champions League, with Barcelona facing either Paris Saint-Germain or holders Lyon in the semi-finals.
Man City needed a big performance and took the lead inside 20 minutes. Beckie had replaced the unavailable Lauren Hemp in the XI, and was quickly among the goals. Alex Greenwood's corner was nodded down by Mewis. Ellen White then helped guide it goalwards but it was Beckie who got the last touch to turn the ball home.
But Bronze made two sensational blocks to keep City in the tie. The first came in the 32nd minute, with Roebuck - who impressed in the first leg - saving from Graham Hansen's shot. The rebound fell to Oshoala, but her effort smacked Bronze in the midriff as she threw herself in front of the ball. Barcelona's shouts for a penalty also went unheeded.
Just before half-time, Bronze was at it again. Oshoala burst into the area, but her eventual shot was hacked off the line by the left-back, but the clearance hit Abby Dahlkemper on the elbow before being cleared further away. Barcelona again were up in arms for another penalty as well as checking if the ball had gone over the line, but neither were given.
Man City had their sights of goal in between the two incidents too. Beckie forced a fingertip save from Sandra Panos and the goalkeeper also collected another Mewis header from a corner.
If Bronze was City's saviour in the first half, Roebuck was again their star in the second. Her first save came five minutes after the break with Alexia Putellas playing Oshoala through into the area. But Roebuck was out to make the save with her foot, although was nicked on the ankle by the Barcelona striker on the way through.
Oshoala got the better of the goalkeeper shortly after as Barcelona secured the away goal. Greenwood's attempted cleared smacked the body Patri Guijarro, with the loose ball falling to Hansen. She darted into the area, before squaring the ball for the waiting Oshoala, who slotted home. Had she not scored, City could have conceded a penalty, with Greenwood hauling Guijarro to the floor inside the area, but the referee allowed the play to continue.
Soon after, Man City were awarded their own penalty as Leila Ouahabi clipped the back of Ellen White, sending her over. After Kelly's miss in the first leg, Mewis stepped up and sent a low, hard effort past Panos to see City back ahead in the second leg.
Roebuck then denied Oshoala again with a perfectly time challenge. The striker was played through into the area again, but the City stopper was out to smother the ball away just ahead of Oshoala. However, the Barcelona player landed awkwardly as she jumped over Roebuck, eventually hobbling off the field.
Both sides could have added another in the six minutes of injury time. Lieke Martens just curled wide for Barcelona, before Jess Park's effort towards an open net was turned behind by Ouahabi as City exited the Champions League.
The Man City goalkeeper has been sensational over two legs. She should be given full credit from keeping Barcelona from running away with the tie, and pulled out some superb saves again on Wednesday.
At the age of 21, her timing and decision making is simply brilliant, and she truly went to war with Oshoala - both players picked up knocks in the second half. The future certainly looks bright for Roebuck.
Man City manager Gareth Taylor told BT Sport:
"I'm proud of that team and the performance today. I thought we left everything out there, we took the game to them like we said we would. We had good opportunities, they probably had a couple as well so over the two legs, it could have been more high scoring than what it was.
"Disappointed to give the goal away when we did because I thought if we could have got another goal in that period, or even a little bit longer, I think we still would have scored our goals and got our chances. But when that goal goes in, it kills the tie a bit.
"But afterwards, in terms of being positive, getting opportunities, scoring the penalty and then still having chances afterwards, it was a testament to this team and the performance. These guys never give up so I was really proud of that today. Disappointed, but proud.
"These guys that we're coming up against have been doing this for a while and have been in Champions League consistently. I've always said we're a work in progress and I'm new to it as well so we'll gain that experience.
"We want be going further than this, we have previously with a couple of semi-finals. Sometimes you get presented with difficult games, we knew this would be difficult, they're a team scoring a lot of goals, but we gave it a good slug-out and like I said, I'm proud of our performance today."
Anita Asante told Sky Sports News:
"Unfortunately time ran out for City. They showed real impetus from the start of the second leg to high press Barcelona in order to create goal situations, but conceding that away goal made it challenging. Caroline Weir and Georgia Stanway came on to give another attacking dimension to the team, but they ran out of time.
"You can't fault Man City as they took a lot of risks, playing a high line and by getting numbers into the box but Barcelona had a lot of experience in their team. Ellie Roebuck has been outstanding throughout this game with her decision-making, and her timing to come off her line as a deep sweeper but City didn't have the clear-cut opportunities to keep them in this tie."
Man City will face Tottenham in the WSL on Saturday; kick-off 2pm. Barcelona also play on the same day, hosting Levante in a top-of-the-table clash in the Primera Division. They are 11 points ahead of their weekend opponents in first place, with three games in hand.
