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Manchester City Women battled from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Academy Stadium in a pulsating Barclays WSL contest. It was a match defined by resilience, tactical adaptability, and individual brilliance, with City’s relentless second-half performance overturning Fran Kirby’s early opener. Goals from Khadija Shaw and Yui Hasegawa sealed the points, keeping City firmly in the hunt at the top of the league.
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Manchester City | Brighton |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 55% | 45% |
| Total Shots | 19 | 9 |
| Shots on Target | 8 | 4 |
| Big Chances | 3 | 1 |
| Passes | 484 | 394 |
| Accurate Passes | 417 | 312 |
| Corners | 7 | 5 |
| Total Tackles | 20 | 27 |
| Goalkeeper Saves | 3 | 5 |
| Fouls | 7 | 10 |
| Yellow Cards | 0 | 2 |
Match Flow & Key Moments
- 14’ – Kirby’s opener silences the home crowd, Brighton lead 1-0.
- 46’ – Nnadozie denies Miedema with a stunning stop on the stroke of half-time.
- 58’ – Shaw equalises with a trademark header.
- 74’ – Hasegawa finishes off a slick move to complete City’s turnaround.
- 96’ – Kafaji’s late strike saved by Keating, sealing the win for City.
First Half:
Brighton stunned the hosts in the 14th minute when Fran Kirby, ever the big-game player, slotted home from close range after Rachel McLauchlan’s overlapping run and low cross. Despite dominating possession, City struggled to break through Brighton’s compact 4-2-3-1 shape, with Chiamaka Nnadozie producing key saves from Vivianne Miedema and Lauren Hemp.
Second Half:
City’s pressure eventually told. Just before the hour mark, Leila Ouahabi delivered a pinpoint cross, met by Khadija Shaw’s powerful header (58’) to level the score. The goal lifted Gareth Taylor’s side, and with the introduction of Aoba Fujino and Kerolin, the tempo increased. In the 74th minute, Fujino’s incisive through ball released Yui Hasegawa, who calmly finished low into the corner to make it 2-1.
Brighton pressed late on, with Michelle Agyemang and Rosa Kafaji forcing Khiara Keating into sharp saves, but City’s defensive resilience and game management secured a deserved three points.
Player of the Match: Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City). While Shaw’s header was pivotal, Hasegawa’s performance in midfield was exceptional. She registered a 91% pass completion rate (50/55), contributed defensively with two tackles, and capped her display with the match-winning goal. Her intelligence in possession and ability to dictate the game mirrored BBC Sport’s post-match analysis, which highlighted her growing influence in City’s midfield engine room.
Lineups
Manchester City (3-5-2):
Keating; Prior, Greenwood (c), Ouahabi (Layzell 84’); Casparij, Beney (Kerolin 63’), Blindkilde, Hasegawa, Hemp; Shaw, Miedema (Fujino 63’).
Brighton (4-2-3-1):
Nnadozie; McLauchlan (Auée 63’), Rule, Minami, Olislagers; Symonds (Camacho 88’), Rayner (Seike 63’); Čanković, Kirby (Noordam 46’), Haley (Kafaji 81’); Agyemang.
Manchester City’s victory underlined their resilience and depth, bouncing back from an early setback to dominate the second half. Brighton, meanwhile, showed plenty of spirit and structure, with Kirby and Nnadozie standing out, but they ultimately couldn’t contain City’s attacking waves.
This result keeps City in strong contention for the WSL title race, while Brighton can take heart from their defensive organisation and ability to cause problems in transition
