Goals from Tobin Heath and Kirsty Hanson helped Manchester United reverse a two-nil halftime deficit to salvage a draw and keep the Red Devils undefeated.
After giving Arsenal their first defeat of the season, top of the table Manchester United looked to kick off Women’s Football Weekend with a victory over bitter rivals and FA Cup winners Manchester City.
After a hotly contested opening five minutes where both sides created chances but struggled to hit the target, Manchester City would open the scoring after a wayward Mary Earps clearance led to a City corner.
Manchester United failed to clear the ball multiple times and eventually Chloe Kelly was able to poke a difficult effort into the top corner to give the lead to the blue side of Manchester.
United would try to respond but it was clear that City were the more creative and comfortable of the sides through the first 20 minutes as Sam Mewis was pulling the strings in midfield and allowing Kelly and Georgia Stanway to swing in crosses from the wings.
To their credit, United were able to tighten up defensively and cut out City’s attacks but for the majority of the first half it seemed that they were just waiting out the storm as they had little in response.
City would have gone into halftime disappointed that they were only one goal up after their first half performance if it were not for a late strike by Laura Coombs.
Mewis would have an effort blocked in stoppage time that would bounce to Coombs on the edge of the box who would fire a powerful shot, leaving Earps rooted to the spot and giving City a two-nil halftime lead.
The Red Devils would start the second half with a renewed purpose, eager to preserve their status at the top of the WSL and responded by pressing Manchester City deep into their own half.
United would be rewarded for their efforts ten minutes into the second half as City would lose the ball just outside their penalty area.
The ball would roll ahead to Tobin Heath who struck it first time towards the near post with venom behind it. The ball would find the net off of the crossbar to bring United to within striking distance, a goal which drew a passionate roar of a celebration from the U.S international.
United would continue to pressure and would get their equaliser fifteen minutes from time as another scramble from a corner led to a close range finish from halftime substitute Kirsty Hanson.
With only a minute left in the ninety, Manchester United almost completed their comeback as another corner was swung in and the resulting header was only just cleared off the line by Ellie Roebuck.
The game would end two-two and the result will likely look much more favourable to United than City as United remain one of the only sides in the WSL yet to suffer a loss.
The result leaves United top of the WSL for at least twenty-four hours before Arsenal have a chance to regain the top stop against Chelsea. Manchester City on the other hand are now five points adrift from the summit with the teams above them with games in hand.
City will look to gain some desperately needed ground away to Everton in their next game while United face Aston Villa.
The Inbound Observer 