Hammarby was ready to host Manchester City in the Tele2 Arena with more than 22.000 fans. The visitors were impressed by the overwhelming support. All Manchester City needed to do was avoid defeat by Hammarby, to secure a ticket to the UWCL quarter-finals. Easier said than done. Read everything about how the match went down.
- Hammarby vs Manchester City Attendance Tele2 Arena: 22.126
Different Hammarby with 12th Man behind them
Hammarby started the match with a high press that caused Manchester City trouble. Within four minutes the home team earned themselves a corner. Hammarby took the corner short, and the delivery went to the far post. It was Mary Fowler that cleared it with a header but did give away another corner.
This time from the other side, again short. It led to nothing but a claim for a high foot. The referee did not want to hear it and continued play. When looking at the replay it was indeed a fairly high foot from Prior. Manchester City cleared the ball under high pressure, unable to build up their attack when Ouahabi was fouled.
The first chances are for the home team
The first real effort on goal from Hammarby is a long range one as Keating was a little far out but the ball went just wide from the far post. The home team left no space for Manchester City to build up in the first ten minutes. The fans were very loud, fueling Hammarby in every way possible.
Fifteen minutes in and it is clear that Hammarby outmuscles City on some positions. The pressure they put on the backline causes mistakes with the visitors. Hammarby is not able to capitalize on the opportunities just yet but if they are able to keep this up, Gareth Taylor should be worried.
Finding a way through the unbreakable defense
The best opportunity for City was from a corner Mary Fowler took. Bunny Shaw got her head to it deflected and went just wide from the far post. The visitors did get another two corners. Goalkeeper Tamminen cleared one giving away the third corner. This time City went for a short version with Jess Park, but it did not end up in the box. City definitely grew in the game at this point, learning how the Hammarby press works and how to avoid it.
A foul on Mary Fowler was protested loudly by the fans. But it led to free kick. The delivery was defended well by Hammarby but they struggled to get off their own half. Shaw delivered in the box again towards Ouahabi, she did not get a shot away. She was defended well by Vallotto.
Yellow card and a goal for Shaw
The opener is a surprise to everyone. Shaw drove into the box and her effort deflected on Emilie Joramo; making it unstoppable for goalkeeper Tamminen. Shaw went to celebrate in front of the home fans, and it looked like a coin was thrown at her. The referee decided to give Shaw a yellow card. A bizarre decision by the referee.
Just before half time Myagawa sends Blakstad away. She goes 1v2 with Prior and Kennedy. She managed to get a shot away, but it was just off target. The score is all but settled between these two at half time. There was one minute added on to the first half. Hammarby managed to prevent any other goals from being scored.
Half-Time Interview with Julie Blakstad
How are you feeling after the first half?: “Yes, it’s a good first half. Onviously they had some possession but I think we pressed well and we create some chances. So I think we should just continue in the second half.”
You are creating chances. What do you have to do to score one of them?: “I think we should continue. We have had some good chances and opportunities to score goals. We should continue the press, we see that we win the ball high on the pitch and that gives us good opportunities.”
Finally, how is the atmosfere out there with 22.000 fans here?: “It’s amazing. You can see yourself it’s really really good and hopefully we can give them more in second half.”
Spectacular first 10 minutes in the second half
Manchester City started the second half with a good attack. Aoba Fujino got past her defender on the right wing, passing to Jess Park. She could not find anyone in the box and decided to go for it herself. Goalkeeper Tamminnen caught her effort.
Hammarby finally capatalized on one of their opportunities. It seemed like City had the attack under control when Laura Blindkilde Brown dispossessed Vallotto near the edge of the City box. But the ball landed with Julia Blakstad, who sent the cross away to Wangerheim. The cross went past the goal, so that Khiara Keating could not reach it, but Wangerheim was at the end of it.
Everyone is at the edge of their seats
Moments later Bunny Shaw said; not on my watch. Jess Park made a great run through to the middle. Shaw was waiting for her with a bit of space around her. As soon as the Jamaican international got the ball she moved away from the defender and sent away a powerfull strike from just outside the box, leaving goalkeeper Tamminen without a chance.
Hammarby wanted to answer that with the 2-2 immediately. Vallotto delivered the ball to Tandberg in the box. Keating with some excellent goalkeeping did not only stop Tandberg’s effort but also the powerfull strike that came next.
The pace slowed down for just a moment
We all got a bit of a break when Khiara Keating needed treatment. The goalkeeper seemed to have some discomfort around her ankle. It gave the head coaches an opportunity to talkt to their players during a drink break.
Just after the one hour mark it was time for substitutions. For Hammarby, Andersson came off and Holmberg took her place. Gareth Taylor decided to bring on Chloe Kelly for Prior. Jøsendal and Westin made their way onto the pitch for Lennartsson and Tandberg a while later.
Khiara Keating keeps City ahead
For a short while the match was quite calm. City was mostly passing the ball around, trying to find a way through Hammarby’s defense. It was the calm before the storm; with ten more minutes on the clock both teams were fighting. More fouls, frustration and opportunities for both teams made sure blinking was impossble.
A corner for Hammarby forced Khiara Keating to make another brilliant save. The ball landed with Jøsendal who just got her shot away before Hasegawa was onto her. Her shot was powerfull and Keating had give her best to make the stop.
Martin Sjögren brought on some late substitutions: Miyagawa off for Sørbro and Vallotto made way for Hasund. Unfortunately it did nothing and Hammarby lost 1-2 to Manchester City. The English club progresses to the quarter-finals with two matches to spare.
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