Manchester City Women earned a hard-fought victory against a difficult Everton side to maintain their six-point lead at the top of the WSL. A first half deflected goal from Kerolin and a Vivianne Miedema strike in the second half was enough to edge out the Toffees and keep their title ambitions well and truly alive.
With Chelsea thrashing West Ham 5-0, it was vital that City got the win to keep the distance between them and the reigning champions intact.
It was the first game back following the winter break and the Blues showed a little bit of lethargy at the start, with Everton taking the game to City in the opening stages. The visitors will feel a little aggrieved from the match as a couple of key decisions went against them.
At 0-0, City benefitted from an offside decision that the officials got horribly wrong, and a disallowed goal that perhaps should have stood.
But City were worthy of their win and created enough chances to put Everton out of sight. Bunny Shaw resumed her dual with Everton keeper Courtney Brosnan, with the latter coming out on top again, saving well from a Shaw snapshot and later denying the Jamaican again.
But there was nothing Brosnan could do about Kerolin’s deflected opener that put City in front. The Brazilian started the move on the right and worked her way past the defender, creating some space for herself. She attempt at a side foot finish took a deflection off Martina Fernandes and beat Brosnas to give City a deserved yet fortunate lead.
City pressed for a second but were still vulnerable at the back and the feeling was that if Everton could exploit City’s backline, there would get a chance to level. That opportunity came just before half-time when a corner on the Everton Right wasn’t cleared and Fernandes levelled, only to have the goal ruled out for a foul on Yamashita.
Former defender Ruby Mace was judged to have impeded the Japanese keeper, although replays suggest there was not much in it and the goal perhaps should have stood.
City continued to dominate the match in the second half and doubled their lead in the 63rd minute. Shaw took a pass perfectly, then spotted Miedema making a run, and the Jamaican found her perfectly before the Dutch star smashed home the second.
The Blues continued to press, desperate to increase the goal difference that eluded them two seasons ago, but a 2-0 victory was the best they could muster.
It was still enough to remain six points clear of Chelsea and, if the beat the Champions at the beginning of February, the destiny of the title will be in their own hands.
**Final Score: Manchester City Women 2-0 Everton Women.**
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* [Manchester City Match Recaps](/manchester-city-match-recaps)
* [Manchester City Women](/manchester-city-women)