Lionesses go second as they beat Black Cats 3-1

By Football Reporter

London City Lionesses 3 v Sunderland 1

London City Lionesses coasted to a comfortable 3-1 home win over Sunderland to move second in the Championship table.

First half goals from Atlanta Primus and Karin Muya put Lionesses firmly in control. In the second half, Amy Rodgers added to the tally, while Keira Ramshaw got a consolation penalty for the visitors.

Neither side had played a league game in eight weeks, but the lack of match practice only seemed to affect the visiting Black Cats.

Less than four minutes had been played when a Lionesses throw-in was worked to Primus, who dispatched her clinical strike from 12 yards out.

Lionesses could have got their second within the next ten minutes, first when Lucy Fitzgerald stung Allison Cowling’s hands with a long-range shot, and then when Jamie-Lee Napier’s shot was blocked on the line by Jess Brown.

Napier was integral to London City’s second after 30 minutes. The Scot made a great run in from the left. While her shot hit the post, the rebound fell kindly to Muya, who made an instinctive finish.

Just after the hour mark, a passing move down the field found Rodgers in acres of space behind the Sunderland defence. She was able to negotiate her way past Cowling before placing the ball in the net for Lionesses’ third.

The Black Cats found it difficult to break down the strong Lionesses defence, with second half chances a rarity, like Ramshaw’s shot straight at Shae Yanez with seven minutes to play.

The visitors got a consolation in stoppage time with a penalty which was calmly put away by Ramshaw but it was far too late to change the outcome.

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STATS

London City Lionesses (3-5-2): Shae Yanez, Charlotte Fleming, Carly Girasoli, Alli Palisch, Amy Rodgers, Jamie-Lee Napier, Mollie Rouse, Harley Bennett, Karin Muya, Lucy Fitzgerald, Atlanta Primus Substitutes: Full name for Surname 00 Substitutes not used: Lily Agg, Hayley Nolan, Rianna Jarrett, Wiktoria Fronc, Annie Rossiter, Kenni Thompson, Brooke Nunn, Jess Gray Goals: Primus 4, Muya 31, Rodgers 60 Bookings: Palisch 90 Red Cards: None Sunderland (4-5-1): Allison Cowling, Neve Herron, Grace McCatty, Louise Griffiths, Keira Ramshaw, Emily Scarr, Maria Farrugia, Jessica Brown, Emma Kelly, Abbey Joice, Holly Manders Substitutes: Substitutes not used: Claudia Moan, Eve Blakey, Grace Ede, Libbi McInnes Goals: Ramshaw 90 Bookings: None Red Cards: None Referee: Stacey Fullicks