Lucia Garcia of Manchester United scored a dramatic injury-time goal to secure a thrilling derby victory over Manchester City and keep the Red Devils’ slim hopes of winning the Women’s Super League (WSL) title alive.
United’s win means that Chelsea’s hopes of clinching the title were delayed after their victory against Arsenal on Sunday. Chelsea will now have to wait until the final day of the season to potentially secure a fourth consecutive WSL crown by defeating relegation-threatened Reading.
In a first half filled with excitement, Hayley Ladd opened the scoring for United with a magnificent strike from 20 yards within the first two minutes of the game.
City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck was shown a red card just before half-time for a reckless challenge on Nikita Parris, leaving United in a strong position to finally overcome their rivals in the league, as they had never beaten them before.
However, after United failed to clear a corner, Filippa Angeldahl took possession of the ball and delivered a looping cross that found its way into the net, equalizing the match.
City seemed poised to secure a draw and dash United’s hopes of winning their first-ever title. But in the 91st minute, Garcia calmly finished from Vilde Boe Rise’s knockdown, sparking jubilation among the home fans and keeping their hopes of silverware alive.
With this victory, United is guaranteed a top-three finish in the WSL, securing a spot in next year’s Champions League. Meanwhile, City currently sits in fourth place and is likely to remain there regardless of the final day’s results, as Arsenal holds a superior goal difference in third place.
