WSL leaders run riot: Man City demolish rivals to seize huge advantage
Manchester City have surged 11 points clear at the top of the Women’s Super League after ruthlessly dispatching Leicester City 6-0 on a chastening evening for the visitors.
While the meeting between the league leaders and the bottom club went exactly according to the form book, the hosts were briefly rattled early on.
Alisha Lehmann struck the post for the Foxes, a wake-up call that immediately sparked a devastating response from the title chasers.
Lauren Hemp was the architect of the destruction, utilising her direct running to create six chances and provide two assists in a dominant display.
Miedema doubles up in first-half blitz
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, nodding home Hemp’s delivery at the near post to settle any nerves.
Vivianne Miedema then took centre stage, drilling a low effort past the goalkeeper from the edge of the box after Ashleigh Neville failed to clear.
The Dutch international grabbed her second moments later, converting another pinpoint cross from Hemp to put the game beyond doubt at 3-0.
Gareth Taylor’s side showed no mercy, with Yui Hasegawa compounding Leicester’s misery before the interval by slotting home a simple finish.
Stunning strike seals rout
Any hope of a quiet second half for the struggling visitors evaporated just three minutes after the restart.
Kerolin Nicoli Israel Ferraz claimed the goal of the night, unleashing a magnificent strike into the top corner from distance to extend the lead.
Even the substitutes joined the act, as Aoba Fujino punished a defensive lapse from Chantelle Swaby to round the keeper and smash home the sixth.
It could have been an even heavier defeat on Friday the 13th, with Shaw, Hemp and Leila Ouahabi all missing close-range efforts.
Noemie Mouchon missed a golden opportunity for a consolation goal for the visitors, firing over with the goal gaping after pouncing on a rare mistake.
The result leaves the Manchester club counting down the days to a potential title, while Leicester remain rooted to the foot of the table.