Fujino rocket helps City to Spurs success | OneFootball

Manchester City returned from the international break with a hard fought 2-1 win over Spurs in the Barclays Women's Super League.

Following a bright Spurs start, City took the lead against the run of play through Vivianne Miedema's well-met header before Bethany English equalised before half-time.

Both teams created chances after the break but it looked likely the contest would end in a draw before Aoba Fujino smashed home a fantastic effort on 78 minutes to restore our advantage.

It means Gareth Taylor's side have moved back into the division's top three - albeit having played a game more than fourth-placed Arsenal.

WHAT HAPPENED

Spurs entered the meeting looking to bounce back from their 5-0 defeat to Arsenal in their final assignment ahead of the international break and they made a fast start in east London.

Eveliina Summanen tested the hands of Ayaka Yamashita before Bethany England’s fierce shot was blocked wide after she collected the ball inside the box.

Gareth Taylor’s side boasted a strong defensive record against the Londoners having not conceded in each of our last three games with Robert Vilahamn’s side, but the hosts came close to breaking the deadlock in the latest meeting.

We defended a corner well before the ball looped towards Ella Morris’ direction allowing her to strike a venomous volley which flew just wide of Yamashita’s top corner.

But, against the run of play, City scored with our first attack of the match following a well-crafted move down the right – allowing Aoba Fujino’s cross to be headed home by Vivianne Miedema.

The Japan international played a neat one-two with Laura Blindkilde Brown – sending the winger down the right before her pinpoint cross was powerfully nodded into the back of the net by the WSL’s all-time leading scorer.

It staggeringly represented the Netherlands international’s eighth goal in 12 outings since her summer arrival at the Club.

That somewhat knocked the wind out of Spurs’ sails following their breathless start and another City cross almost paid dividends when Leila Ouahabi’s ball from the left was headed over by Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw.

A rare missed opportunity by the Jamaican who has netted an impressive three hat-tricks against Vilahamn's side - the most of any player against the same team in the competition's history.

Spurs were then forced into making a substitution on the 30-minute mark when Martha Thomas was replaced by Olivia Holdt due to injury.

And the latter made her presence felt almost immediately when she broke into the box and lifted the ball to Bethany England who found the roof of the net with an improvised effort.

The hosts then arguably finished the half the stronger of the two teams and Ashleigh Neville, on her 101st WSL appearance, got the better of Casparij and teed up Charlotte Grant whose dangerous cross was well cleared by Naomi Layzell before it could reach England.

And Spurs' striker came close to finding her second of the afternoon on the cusp of the break when her header at a corner was cleared off the line by Miedema before Holdt fired over from close range.

City had 18 players away on international duty across tournaments, friendlies and training camps and the taxing journeys from around the world looked to have sapped some of the energy out of our players on the first assignment back.

The Blues were then hugely let off when a ball over the top found Matilda Vinberg alone inside the box and Spurs’ forward lashed her effort wide when she had time and space to line up her shot.

That seemed to spring fresh life into Taylor's team and Yui Hasegawa's curled attempt towards the top corner was grabbed by the grateful Lize Kop before City thought we had regained the lead.

From a corner, Miedema again met the ball with a powerful header which flew past Kop but Neville was on hand on the line to scoop the ball onto the cross bar with her right foot.

However, Blues players were adamant it had already crossed the line, but the referee and assistant were unmoved and the score remained goalless.

That raise in temperature sprung the game into an end-to-end contest and Spurs came close on two occasions when England nipped in ahead of Aleixandri and fired over the bar before Charlotte Grant's effort followed the same trajectory.

With the clock approaching the final 10 minutes, a draw grew in likelihood, before Fujino scored a phenomenal goal which regained our lead.

The winger and Hasegawa combined wonderfully down the right before the 20-year-old collected the ball, flicked it onto her left foot and rifled it into the top left corner.

It was a goal fit to win any game and City held on for three precious points in the capital.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: AOBA FUJINO

Fresh from helping Japan to SheBelieves Cup glory during the international break, Fujino maintained her fine form with a goal and an assist in the capital.

The February Etihad Player of the Month nominee was the instigator of most of our fine attacking play and deserved the winner for her continued sparkling displays since the turn of the year.

HOW WE LINED UP

Taylor made three changes from the XI who started our 4-0 win over Liverpool before the international break.

Ayaka Yamashita’s goal was protected by Kerstin Casparij, Naomi Layzell, Laia Aleixandri and Leila Ouahabi.

Yui Hasegawa anchored our engine room with Laura Blindkilde Brown and Vivianne Miedema playing further forward than the Japan international.

The front three was then spearheaded by Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw with Kerolin Nicoli on the left wing and Aoba Fujino on the right.

Spurs XI: Kop, Grant, Morris, Bartrip, England (C), Vinberg, Thomas (Holdt 30’), Buhler, Spence, Summanen (Rybrink 66'), Neville.

Unused substitutes: Heeps, Nilden, Naz, Oroz, Csiki, Ayane, Gunning-Williams.

City XI: Yamashita, Casparij, Layzell, Aleixandri (C), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Blindkilde Brown (Roord 69'), Miedema, Fujino, Kerolin Nicoli (Park 69'), Shaw (Fowler, 69').

Unused substitutes: Keating Wienroither, Prior, Oyama, Murphy, Davies.

WHAT IT MEANS

The win over Spurs moves us up to third in the WSL table on 31 points – albeit having played a game more than fourth place Arsenal.

WHAT’S NEXT

It’s a quick turnaround for City who return to the capital on Wednesday 5 March to lock horns with West Ham.

Kick-off at Chigwell Construction Stadium is set for 19:00 (UK) and there will be comprehensive coverage of the WSL clash on mancity.com and our official App.