Elizabeth Terland fires Manchester United a step closer to Women’s Champions League | OneFootball

Maya Le Tissier praised her teammates for “fighting for the badge” after Manchester United moved a step closer to reaching the Women’s Champions League by edging past Hammarby in Stockholm in a nervy second qualifying round tie.

Elisabeth Terland’s fourth goal in two games was enough to see United progress, as she continued her good form after scoring a hat-trick in their previous qualifying fixture on Wednesday, a 4-0 win over PSV. Saturday’s tie was a far less one-sided affair, though, as the Swedish side Hammarby provided a tricky test for United, and Le Tissier, the United captain, knew the visitors’ defensive work had been key.

“It was an intense game,” Le Tissier told MUTV. “They [Hammarby] are really, really physical, good on the break and good on the counter. Their speciality is crosses and they were really good at that, but we defended really well. Everyone got together and it was a proper team effort to stay connected. [We] fought for the badge and fought for the win. We were solid today. I’m really proud of the players.”

Manchester United have never played in the main draw of the Women’s Champions League and are now just a two-legged knockout tie away from doing so, after Saturday’s crucial win.

Terland found the breakthrough in the 61st minute after Celin Bizet’s right-ring cross was cleverly flicked back across the penalty area by Melvine Malard to Terland, who squeezed the ball into the net at the near post. The cross and then the assist from Malard were two much-needed moments of quality in a game that had been closely fought and lacking in decisiveness in either penalty area.

As a result of the goal Marc Skinner’s side have beaten the hosts of this mini-tournament of four teams – which had the rather long-winded name of second qualifying round league path group one – played at the Swedish side’s 3Arena venue. Hammarby were backed by more than 5,000 noisy supporters but Skinner’s team were undeterred by that disadvantage and stayed patient as they searched for their breakthrough.

It was not the most inspiring of performances from United and they will need to improve if they are to progress through the third qualifying round and join Chelsea and the defending champions, Arsenal, in the new league phase.

United should have opened the scoring earlier. In the third minute, Ella Toone had cut the ball back into Terland’s path inside the area but her shot was saved. Anna Sandberg also went close 15 minutes later when she rifled a left-foot strike just over the bar. Five minutes into the second half, Bizet broke through but could not beat the goalkeeper and Malard rushed a half-volleyed effort on the rebound.

However, Hammarby had come closest to scoring in the first half when, 28 minutes in, Sofia Reidy struck the bar from inside the area after the ball fell kindly to her.

Once they had got their noses in front, United managed the game well and calmly saw out the victory. They will learn their third qualifying round opponents in Sunday’s draw, possibly a big name such as Real Madrid or Roma. The Manchester United winger Bizet added to MUTV: “It was not an easy game. Hammarby are physical, fast and they know what they’re doing out there. They have a back five with a lot of rotation. It was a tough game but I felt we had control in the last 30 minutes. Win 1-0, it’s all we need.

“It’s been a long summer, with the Euros, and we have some injuries now, a few, so we are just working proper hard. It’s been four days now with two games and not many subs, so we’re tired but we work hard, so give the credit to the girls and the staff.”United will be in action again next Sunday, when they begin their Women’s Super League campaign at home to currently managerless Leicester.

Header image: [Photograph: Michael Campanella/Getty Images]