West Ham Ladies 0-1 Manchester Metropolis Ladies: Khadija Shaw winner helps guests shut hole

Ladies’s Tremendous League top-scorer Khadija Shaw scored the one aim of the sport as Manchester Metropolis moved to inside three factors of the Champions League locations with a slim win at West Ham.

The sport was performed solely within the West Ham half for lengthy spells however the hosts did have probabilities and should nonetheless be questioning how an almighty scramble within the Metropolis six-yard field didn’t convey the opening aim after 25 minutes.

Within the second half, Paul Konchesky’s facet pressed for an equalizer however Metropolis regarded the almost definitely so as to add to the aim tally late on.

Shaw’s stabbed effort got here again off the put up and Castellanos was denied by an excellent response save from Hammers goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.

“I believe we confirmed actually good resilience,” Metropolis boss Gareth Taylor instructed Sky Sports activities.

“[Shaw] is the talisman in the intervening time with producing the targets. I believed her all-round sport was glorious. She’s an actual asset for us.”

Metropolis’s win extends their unbeaten run to 11 matches in all competitions and sees them shut the hole on third-placed Arsenal.

Metropolis maintain themselves in title rivalry

Again-to-back defeats to begin their WSL marketing campaign has left Metropolis enjoying catch-up this season with Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal storming forward.

Nonetheless, they’re unbeaten since a 2-0 reverse at Chelsea late in September and following the 1-1 draw between Arsenal and leaders Chelseathey’re now solely six factors off prime spot with a sport in hand.

“Whenever you win video games you construct confidence,” Shaw mentioned. “It is a new group, so we saved believing. When you’re profitable and scoring targets the momentum comes.”

For all their dominance within the first interval, the guests required some luck to enter half-time stage as Leila Ouahabi cleared Grace Fisk’s shot off the road throughout a goalmouth scramble earlier than Ellie Roebuck saved from Risa Shimizu after Taylor’s group switched off at a throw -in.

The menace earlier than the break had come from England pair Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp on the wings however when the aim got here, it was an arrow by way of the guts of the West Ham defence.

Yui Hasegawa’s incisive go took out two West Ham gamers and Castellanos did for the remaining as she opened up her physique to slip a perfectly-weighted by way of ball into the trail of Shaw.

It was a aim of the best class to interrupt a cussed West Ham backline and whereas Shaw had the prospect to make the ultimate minutes extra snug, one was sufficient to maintain Metropolis in contact with these above them.