In a pulsating Women’s Super League encounter filled with drama, brilliant goals, defensive miscues and wild momentum swings, Vivianne Miedema emerged as the star of the show. The Dutch forward’s magnificent brace, including an early contender for goal of the season, inspired Manchester City to a crucial 4-2 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Villa’s Fast Start Quickly Evaporates
The hosts got off to a dream start when Chasity Grant pounced on a through ball and expertly fired past the onrushing Ayaka Yamashita to give Villa a shock lead inside six minutes. It was just the type of bold, aggressive play interim manager Shaun Goater would have wanted in his final match in charge before Natalia Arroyo takes the reins.
But that early optimism rapidly faded as sloppy giveaways plagued Villa. The usually reliable Dan Turner had a calamitous moment, gifting the ball straight to Vivianne Miedema who needed no second invitation. The WSL’s all-time leading scorer coolly slotted home the equalizer, swinging the momentum firmly in City’s favor.
Miedema Magic Steals the Show
If Miedema’s first goal was well-taken, her second was simply breathtaking. Receiving the ball 25 yards from goal, the Dutch maestro curled an unstoppable shot into the top corner with pinpoint precision. It was a golazo that will live long in WSL highlight reels and gave the visitors a deserved halftime lead.
We all know the quality Viv possesses, but that second goal was next level. An absolute worldie that no keeper is saving. She showed again today why she’s one of the very best strikers in world football.
Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor
Defensive Lapses Set Up Grandstand Finish
Villa came out of the locker room determined to claw back and got a helping hand from City center back Laia Aleixandri. Under no pressure, the Spaniard somehow managed to divert Kirsty Hanson’s cross into her own net to improbably tie the score at 2-2 just seconds after the restart.
But the hosts’ jubilation was short-lived as City quickly regained control. Australian forward Mary Fowler, growing in influence, saw her deflected effort restore the Sky Blues’ advantage. And Jess Park sealed the win by applying a tidy finish to Kerstin Casparij’s clever cutback to make it 4-2.
City Show Title Mettle While Villa Rue Missed Opportunity
The result gets Manchester City back on track after an uncharacteristically poor run of league form. With just one loss in their previous 23 WSL matches, they had surprisingly dropped three of their last four. But this gutsy win, their first ever at Villa Park, shows Gareth Taylor’s side still have the resilience and firepower to push for the title.
For Villa, it’s a frustrating case of what might have been. They showed how dangerous they can be in transition but were far too charitable at the back. Eliminating those defensive breakdowns will surely be priority number one for incoming boss Natalia Arroyo.
| Key Stat | Vivianne Miedema’s brace makes her the first player to reach 15 WSL goals this season |
The victory, in manager Gareth Taylor’s 100th WSL match at the helm, lifts City back into second place in the table. They still have ground to make up on leaders Arsenal but with Miedema in this kind of irrepressible form and multiple games in hand, only a brave soul would bet against City’s title chances.
