Manchester City have virtually secured their spot in the Women’s Champions League group stages, showcasing their prowess with a commanding away win in the first leg of their qualifying tie against French outfit Paris FC.
Gareth Taylor’s team, despite the unexpected absence of last season’s top scorer, Jamaica’s Khadija Shaw, due to a visa application mishap, demonstrated their attacking depth by scoring five goals against a Paris FC side that finished third in France’s top division last season. The performance was a clear testament to their dominance.
The debut goal from Manchester City’s high-profile summer signing, Vivianne Miedema, the Women’s Super League’s all-time leading scorer, along with a stunning goal from Jess Park, were followed by further strikes from Mary Fowler, Park again, and substitute Chloe Kelly in the second half, giving them a seemingly insurmountable lead ahead of the second leg in Manchester on 26 September.
This match was expected to be a tricky encounter, given Paris FC’s impressive track record in the competition last season, which included knocking out Arsenal and 2023 finalists Wolfsburg in the qualifying rounds, and defeating Real Madrid both home and away in the group stage. Manchester City, aware of the potential pitfalls in the early stages of the Champions League, having been eliminated in the qualifying rounds in their last two European campaigns and reaching the quarter-finals just once since 2018, approached the game with a focused determination.
The team’s dominance was orchestrated by midfielder Yui Hasegawa, supported by the relentless off-the-ball work of the front five and the movement of Park. The visitors also debuted former Arsenal forward Miedema, deployed in midfield, and Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita, who was not tested until the 68th minute, along with her international teammate Aoba Fujino, whose creativity troubled the hosts.
Manchester City patiently took control of the tie with two first-half goals, separated by just one minute and 57 seconds. Fujino’s effort was tipped onto the crossbar by Paris FC’s Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. Miedema volleyed in her first goal for the club from Park’s cross, and Park doubled the lead with a superb finish following a short corner.
Nnadozie’s error allowed Fowler to make it 3-0, and Park scored her second from a rebound. By the time Kelly tapped in the fifth, Paris FC had been comprehensively outplayed. Taylor made several substitutions to manage his players’ fitness ahead of their WSL opener against Arsenal on Sunday, with their opponents likely taking note of this dominant display in Paris.
