Reading Women vs Manchester United Women. Women's Super League.
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Match report and free highlights as Leah Galton's double and a fine strike from Alessia Russo see off Reading Women; Deanne Rose equalised for hosts in a classic WSL first half but Kelly Chambers' side were level for only nine minutes
Saturday 12 March 2022 23:47, UK
Leah Galton struck twice in a thrilling first half to help Manchester United Women to a 3-1 victory at Reading which keeps their Champions League hopes on track.
United have followed a four-game winless run across all competitions with back-to-back league wins and, for now, closed the gap on the top two clubs Arsenal and Chelsea, who both play tomorrow, and moved three points ahead of fourth-placed Tottenham.
Galton opened the scoring with a glancing header but Deanne Rose levelled after capitalising on a mistake by the visitors' defence.
However, Galton rounded goalkeeper Grace Moloney to restore their lead before Alessia Russo slammed a third into the top corner, but only after Ona Batlle's fierce strike was not given despite it crossing the line having come off the underside of the crossbar.
Reading remain in sixth but the result has severely dented their own hopes of qualifying for the Champions League: they are now eight points behind third-placed United.
From the moment Russo crashed a shot off the crossbar inside 17 seconds, the first-half proceeded to be action-packed. Galton rewarded United's fast start in the fifth minute by heading in left-back Hannah Blundell's inch-perfect cross from close range.
However, Reading responded well with Rachel Rowe volleying narrowly wide from the edge of the box before Rose equalised. Blundell's square pass deep inside her own half was intercepted by Rowe and she prodded the ball through to Rose, whose perfect first touch allowed her to slam past Mary Earps.
The Royals went close again through Sanne Troelsgaard as her volley bounced just wide, but Reading were only level for nine minutes. Russo played a superb pass to set Galton in behind and she coolly rounded Moloney to slot into an empty net.
United looked like they were capable of scoring every time they went forward with Deanne Cooper brilliantly denying them a third. Martha Thomas was set clean through on goal by Toone, she had Galton and Russo in support, but instead she went for goal herself with her shot stopped on the line by the Reading centre-back.
They weren't to be denied for long although they initially were by the officials. United right-back Batlle cut inside and saw her shot hit the underside of the crossbar with the ball bouncing down clearly over the line. The goal was not awarded, but justice was served instantly as Russo found the top corner from the edge of the area in the same phase of play.
The Batlle incident led to calls from Sky Sports' Karen Carney for goalline technology to be introduced into the WSL.
"VAR is a little bit harder, we've spoken about budgets and things, but goal line technology - a simple buzz on a watch and that's eradicated," she said.
"That should be in our game - no question about it. What I wouldn't want to be talking about now is 'that [Batlle's goal not being given] could effect the top three, it could effect the Champions League race, it could effect the relegation battle' or whatever it might be. The technology is available and we should be using it."
Reading completed the exciting first half by hitting the crossbar themselves just before half-time when a long free-kick into the box fell to Gemma Evans and she prodded the ball onto the woodwork.
The second half was never going to replicate the first although United did start on the front foot again. However, Reading didn't buckle under the pressure and then had a great opportunity to pull a goal back.
Earps made a brilliant double save from Rose to keep their two-goal advantage intact, earning praise from Kelly Smith on Sky Sports: "Mary Earps showed such confidence, leading by example and making those big saves."
That was as close as Reading came in the second half while United didn't have a shot on target in the second half but saw the game out professionally.
"The pressure was on them today," added Smith. "Reading were six on the bounce at home so to come away and get this vital away win, it will do them the world of good."
Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner told Sky Sports:
"We weren't good enough in the second half transitionally so we need to control the game better but Reading are very good at making it that type of game. I feel that we've grown in experience today.
"I want to play beautiful football but sometimes you have to rudimental parts and build and score scrappy goals. We have the ability to do both and that's what we've been trying to work. I've got nothing but credit for my players today.
"Two back-to-back wins and seven goals is a great response. We played teams right at the top and in really good form, we came against a difficult ask at that time, but that's something we're aspiring to grow to.
"We just make sure we look after the next performance don't get too far ahead. It's a long season but it comes around quickly. Stay focused in the moment, clear on the task in hand and that's how we'll pick these results up."
Reading manager Kelly Chambers told Sky Sports:
"We were 45 minutes late to the party. We didn't defend our goal how we would normally and how we have been over our good run.
"We threatened them, we had chances and I come away from the game wondering how we have not scored more than one today. That's the disappointing thing, we should have scored more. The momentum we had in the second half, if we'd scored one I think we would have scored more.
"We need to be more clinical. We're six yards out from the goal line, in and around their box, we have to be more clinical to get back into the game. If we'd started the first-half as we did the second half, I think we would have had a different result."
Sky Sports' Karen Carney gives her thoughts on who will finish in the three Champions League places:
"Tottenham fans and Rehanne Skinner won't like me saying this, but they've got the harder run and I see City overlapping them.
"I think it's between City and United, but Man United don't really play the top teams apart from Chelsea and they usually struggle.
"City have a game in hand and I know they're a couple of points behind, but I think they'll catch them. City have got people around them to play and Tottenham have got such a difficult run-in.
"In the cup final against Chelsea, we saw that City are getting their players back fit. All season, they've played well but the players they've had in those gaps are not a Lucy Bronze, they're not players they've had missing.
"You're seeing the side now gel when you need them to gel and I think that's where it's going to come from, plus they have that experience.
"I still think United will do it, but City will push them all the way."
Kelly Smith added: "I think so [United will finish in third]. It's how they handle the pressure. These players are young, they've got a couple of older player sin the set-up, but it's how they del with he pressure.
"The next game is a big one, away from home. We've seen today that they can deliver when they start on the front foot, scoring early builds confidence.
"But I think they can get this done before Chelsea, they don't want this going down to the last game of the season. I see enough in this Man United side that they can deliver when it matters."
Reading head to Manchester City on Wednesday, March 16th in the Women's Super League; kick-off 7pm
Manchester United travel to West Ham on Wednesday, March 16th in the Women's Super League; kick-off 7.30pm
Also in the WSL on Saturday, Everton made it three wins in a row with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Leicester, in which Anna Anvegard struck twice.
Jemma Purfield had given second-bottom Leicester an early lead, scoring from the edge of the box inside six minutes.
But the hosts took control at Walton Hall Park after that, with Toni Duggan coolly dribbling around Leicester keeper Sophie Harris before slotting in the equaliser on 33 minutes. Everton then made it 2-1 five minutes before half-time when Anvegard won the ball off the Leicester defence before finding the corner with a smart shot.
There was still time for more twists in the half, though, with Sam Tierney heading in an equaliser and Everton going up the other end and forcing Harris to tip onto the bar from Izzy Christiansen's effort.
On 52 minutes, Everton hit the front again with a superb flick from Anvegard over Harris - and there was no way back for Leicester this time.
The result moves Everton up to ninth ahead of a clash with second-placed Chelsea on Wednesday night, while Leicester stay 11th, eight points ahead of bottom club Birmingham.
