Glasgow City took a giant step towards nine Scottish Premier League titles in a row with a 2-0 win over Hibernian at Albyn Park yesterday.
By Laura Montgomery
It was a far less open game than the two previous encounters between the nation’s best sides and the first half passed by with only a few chances for either team, with the best effort being a header by Hibs striker Lia Tweedie which cracked off the bar.
In the second half, City took the lead after great play by Denise O’Sullivan set up Hayley Lauder to run through on goal and fire her shot under the diving Jenna Fife in the Hibs nets. City then secured the points when Erin Cuthbert fired an excellent strike from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.
Hibs pushed hard to get back into the game in the last 10 minutes but Kirsty Smith shot over when through on goal to miss arguably their best chance to get on the scoresheet.
Glasgow City now lead Hibernian by 6 points and with a superior goal difference meaning that City needing to lose their last two matches and see a goal swing of 34, to lose the title.
Commenting on the game, City Head Coach Scott Booth said, “First half we had to dig in. We had asked the girls to play a different style today and sometimes that takes a little bit of time so I was quite strong at half time that we had to keep the ball better. Despite the fact we were solid and didn’t give them many opportunities I thought we could have passed it better.
“In the first half hour of the second half we did that. We kept the ball better and scored two good goals.”
Glasgow City now travel to London for the first leg of their Round of 32 UEFA Women’s Champions League match against Chelsea. Tickets are still on sale for the return leg on Wednesday 14th October at Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie. Visit www.glasgowcityfc.co.uk/tickets.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Celtic beat Rangers 2-0 with goals from Kirstin McGuire and Ellis Dalgleish. Spartans stung third-placed Aberdeen 4-0, featuring a Sarah Ewens hat-trick, plus one from Claire Crosbie. Stirling University secured a top eight finish with a 4-1 win over Inverness, after trailing at the break. Nicole Pullar netted two headers, Rebecca Robertson also nodding home and Rachel Donaldson scoring from distance. Forfar also take a top eight slot after defeating Hearts 5-2, whom they led 3-0 in 21 minutes through Tori Sousa and an Amy Gallacher brace. Keira Johnstone and Sousa scored later with Rachel Walkingshaw getting a debut goal for Hearts from 35 yards and Gemma Mason their other. Hutchison Vale kept alive their survival hopes with a 5-1 scoreline against Hamilton, Natalie Ross scoring three times.
Pictured – Glasgow City’s Leanne Ross hols of Hibs’ Kirsty Smith. (Photo: Tommy Hughes)
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