West Ham 0-2 Manchester City: Player ratings as City edge out Hammers in WSL
By Ali Rampling
Manchester City moved level on points with rivals Manchester United in the WSL's final Champions League spot with a 2-0 win over West Ham on Saturday.
City opened the scoring in the eighth minute, capitalising on a careless bit of playing out from the back from West Ham. The ball eventually worked its way to Georgia Stanway, who stroked home.
The early lead suggested a comfortable afternoon could be in store for City, but a tightly contested first half unfolded. West Ham asked plenty of questions of the visitors, winning the ball high up the pitch with their aggressive press and playing some slick football in the final third. Yui Hasegawa - the Hammers' stand out performer - carved out her side's most promising opportunity of the first 45, finding Adriana Leon with a probing cross, but the Canadian international headed narrowly wide.
Substitute Claudia Walker also headed just the wrong side of the woodwork moments after entering the fray at the break. She then had the ball in the back of the net following a terrific Lucy Parker through ball, but was deemed offside.
The Hammers were made to pay for their missed opportunities as Khadijia Shaw bundled home Caroline Weir's corner just after the hour mark to double City's advantage and secure all three points.
West Ham player ratings
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Mackenzie Arnold (GK) - 6/10 - Out quickly to deny Shaw inside five minutes with a big save, and produced a fabulous, stretching stop to keep out Weir in the second half.
Grace Fisk (CB) - 7/10 - Worked really well with Longhurst to restrict the influence of Raso, and looked good when playing out from the back.
Gilly Flaherty (CB) - 6/10 - Marked her 100th appearance for the club by absolutely thundering into Stokes and Raso within the opening half an hour with a pair of full blooded, perfectly timed challenges.
Hawa Cissoko (CB) - 6/10 - Solid alongside Parker in helping to nullify Hemp. A little sloppy in possession at times.
2. Midfielders & wing backs
Lucy Parker (RWB) - 7/10 - Tasked with the unenviable job of marking Hemp, but the City winger didn't have her usual destructive influence thanks to Parker's tenacious performance.
Dagny Brynjarsdottir (CM) - 6/10 - Produced a big tackle to halt a marauding Weir in the second half. Typically energetic and solid.
Tameka Yallop (CM) - 5/10 - Tidy on the ball, but the quieter of West Ham's midfield three. Replaced at half time.
Yui Hasegawa (CM) - 8/10 - Provided a fabulous cross onto the head of Leon in the first half after combining well with Longhurst. Energetic, oozed class on the ball, at the heart of every promising West Ham move.
Kate Longhurst (LWB) - 7/10 - Combined well with Fisk at the back to keep Raso quiet, and linked up effectively with Hasegawa going forward.
3. Forwards
Adriana Leon (ST) - 5/10 - Headed narrowly wide after 16 minutes with West Ham's best chance of the half, and caused problems for Roebuck with a deep free kick. Moved to the left wing at half time. Had a glorious opportunity in the second half, but opted to pass instead of shooting when clean through on goal.
Lisa Evans (ST) - 6/10 - Moved to the right flank at half time following the introduction of Walker, and provided a terrific cross for the substitute within a couple of minutes.
4. Substitutes
Claudia Walker - 6/10
Emma Snerle - 5/10
Zaneta Wyne - 5/10
Manchester City player ratings
5. Goalkeeper & defenders
Ellie Roebuck (GK) - 6/10 - Spilled a deep Leon free kick in the first half, but otherwise didn't have a great many saves to make.
Lucy Bronze (RB) - 7/10 - Picked out Shaw with a clever through ball in the opening exchanges to put the City striker clean through on goal. Calm, measured performance.
Alanna Kennedy (CB) - 6/10 - Comfortable of the ball, produced a couple of really impressive passes from deep.
Alex Greenwood (CB) - 8/10 - Unbelievable distribution, ice cool on the ball, dictating play from centre half.
Demi Stokes (LB) - 8/10 - Didn't get forward a great deal bar one decent second half cross, but was her usual solid, reliable self, with a couple of important last ditch blocks.
6. Midfielders
Keira Walsh (CM) - 6/10 - Caught on the ball a little bit in the first half as City struggled to play through the West Ham press.
Caroline Weir (CM) - 7/10 - Drew a big save from Arnold with a fizzing second half effort, and provided the corner delivery from which City doubled their lead. Came into the game more in the latter stages as spaces began to open up.
Georgia Stanway (CM) - 7/10 - Stroked home confidently from just inside the box to give City the lead, finding herself in the pocket between the midfield and defence that she is so effective at occupying. Caught in possession in her own half on a couple of occasions, replaced after an hour.
7. Forwards
Hayley Raso (RW) - 5/10 - Flashed a half chance over in the 26th minute, struggled up against the solid defensive duo of Longhurst and Fisk. Replaced after an hour.
Khadija Shaw (ST) - 7/10 - Should have opened the scoring inside five minutes but denied by a good Arnold save. Bundled home from a corner to double City's lead.
Lauren Hemp (LW) - 6/10 - One of her quieter performances, with her opportunity to run at the West Ham backline, get to the byline and wreak her usual havoc restricted by the impressive Parker.
8. Substitutes
Chloe Kelly - 6/10
Laura Coombs - 6/10
Ellen White - 5/10
Filippa Angeldal - 5/10