Manchester City Women vs Brighton and Hove Albion Women. Women's Super League.
City Football AcademyAttendance1,377.
Report and highlights as Man City thrash Brighton 7-2 in the WSL at the Academy Stadium; Khadija Shaw scored twice in each half to help hosts move above Man Utd into final Champions League qualification spot; Caroline Weir, Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp also scored for City
Saturday 30 April 2022 15:09, UK
Manchester City moved up to third place in the Women's Super League table after thrashing Brighton 7-2, with Khadija Shaw scoring four of her side's goals.
City's thumping win saw them rise above rivals Manchester United into the final Champions League qualification place, with both teams having just two matches remaining this season.
Brighton's defeat means they remain in seventh ahead of their final WSL game, at home to Everton on May 8.
City dominated the encounter at the Academy Stadium, recording nearly 70 per cent of the possession and 19 shots to Brighton's six, and were ahead within three minutes when Demi Stokes cut infield and beat several defenders before feeding Shaw to fire in the opener.
Lauren Hemp blasted wide of the post after good work from Shaw as City pressed immediately again, but the hosts hardly had to wait for their second, with Lucy Bronze taking charge of a goalmouth scramble to tee up Shaw.
Hemp's fine cross nearly saw Shaw complete her hat-trick just 16 minutes in, but a good save from Megan Walsh saw Caroline Weir sweep home the rebound.
Inessa Kaagman's penalty saw Brighton peg City back just five minutes later, though, after Keira Walsh brought down Lee Geum-Min, and when Zigiotti Olme hit the net on the stroke of half time, a miraculous comeback looked possible.
But City put paid to those ideas after the break, as Walsh's smart ball set Shaw en route to her hat-trick before Hemp then laid on Shaw's next goal, with the Jamaica star rifling in her fourth strike of a remarkable day.
Greenwood headed home from a corner for City's sixth, before Hemp notched her 18th goal of the season to round off the scoring.
Man City take on Birmingham, who are battling against relegation from the WSL, on Wednesday evening before ending their league campaign at Reading on May 8.
Gareth Taylor's side then take on title-chasing Chelsea a week later in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Brighton have just one game remaining this season, at home to Everton on May 8.
