Manchester City 0-0 Brighton: Resilient away side defend for their lives against US imports
The size of the task ahead for Manchester City was to be found far beyond the immaculate academy stadium where a first game on home soil saw them shut out by supremely resilient opponents.
There was Chelsea’s 9-0 demolition of Bristol City, who had always seemed to be facing a formidable challenge this season, and Tottenham Hotspur, announcing 48 hours earlier that Alex Morgan, the global superstar from America, would be joining them for the season.
The marketing potential had been immediately apparent. Close to 50,000 people responded to Morgan’s tweet announcing her move to a club — considerably more than the team’s 38,000 followers. Morgan following on Instagram — 9.1 million — surpasses the Spurs men’s account, which extends to 8.5m.
Brighton defended for their lives as they shut out Manchester City’s superstar side
Lucy Bronze made her second debut for City but struggled to have an impact on the game
For the past five years, City have shown a level of enlightenment matched only by Chelsea when it comes to investing and developing this women’s team and imbuing it with the same elite sport environment as the men.
When they signed Carli Lloyd — another of the superstars of the highly developed US women’s game — on loan in 2017, Spurs had barely invested.
But just as they show a renewed sense of ambition — bringing back Lucy Bronze to the club from Lyon last week along with Alex Greenwood, having already ushered USA World Cup winners Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle through the door — the rest have come to see the light and the branding opportunity.
Fellow new signing Alex Greenwood was the brightest in City’s relentless push for a goal
The USA stars suddenly all want a place to play here because their own country and its sport is so afflicted by the pandemic.
So Manchester United have just hoovered up Tobin Heath and Christen Press.
It was perhaps not the ideal weekend, then, to be facing Brighton, who are as obdurate as you would expect a Hope Powell side to be and, on this immense defensive display, capable of puncturing others’ pretensions. At six feet, Mewis has become well accustomed to winning aerial challenges at North Carolina Courage, NWSL champions for the past two years, and no player provided more assists for Jill Ellis’ USA in France last summer.
Sam Mewis is used to winning her aerial duels but was out-battled by Victoria Williams
But Victoria Williams, a 30-year-old whose meandering career has brought her to Brighton by way of Leeds, Chelsea, Sunderland and Doncaster, won their aerial battle. Mewis towered over Danique Kerkdijk but the Dutch midfielder also shut her down and on those rare occasions when space opened up ahead of her, the star signing could not seize it.
A blocked cross after she had dispossessed Rebekah Scott and advanced on goal in the first half. An overhit pass when Georgia Stanway was ready to capitalise in the second.
Greenwood was the best of new arrivals, driving from deep to find space in Brighton’s box during a first half in which City attacked relentlessly. But Bronze did not join the attacks in the same way and when chances did open up, a string of saves from Megan Walsh kept them out.
Brighton’s defiance against the technically superior City resulted in a compelling contest
The score belies what evolved into an absorbing and hugely compelling game, with Brighton indefatigable in the face of their technically superior opponents, who drove to the last.
City’s line-up read like one of Phil Neville’s World Cup sides, with seven of that England squad in its ranks. But the heroes of this hour were those unknown to many both within these shores and in the US, where 85 million homes will have TV access to the WSL this season.
Rebekah Scott, Denise O’Sullivan, Kerkdijk — red-faced with the exertion — and Dani Bowman defended for their lives. Brighton were the hungrier side by a distance and earned the luck which saw Ellen White drive wide of the right hand post when sent through in the second half. City’s final pass was too often missing.
‘It’s about not playing the name but playing in the moment,’ said Powell, when it was put to her that this showed how lesser lights could match the superstars.
The former England manager also expressed concern for the young English players trying to make their way in the game amid the accelerated influx of overseas players. ‘The more players you bring in, the less opportunity you give to others,’ she said. ‘If you are a young English player trying to break in, it will be a big ask.’
A quota of eight home-grown players does not kick in until next season. City manager Gareth Taylor welcomed the influx.
‘It’s great to see everyone is having a big push,’ he said.
But with Arsenal also scoring nine at West Ham on Saturday and Manchester United putting five past Birmingham, he was left under no illusions.
‘The team that wins the league will do it with low points,’ Taylor added. ‘Everyone will take points off each other.’
