Foster Believes A ‘Defining Moment’ Made The Difference
- LCFC Women beaten 1-0 by Manchester United
- Ella Toone scored the decisive second half goal
- Jennifer Foster shares her thoughts on the narrow defeat at King Power Stadium
- Leicester have two games remaining this Barclays Women’s Super League season
Sunday’s action from King Power Stadium saw City fall to a narrow defeat at the hands of fourth-placed Man Utd after substitute Ella Toone found the net in extraordinary fashion within the last 10 minutes.
Giving her verdict on the match, the Interim Manager was disappointed to not earn anything from such a valiant effort but admitted that opportunities must be taken at the highest level.
“Defensively we were excellent,” Foster stated. “In the first half, we were a little bit sloppy when we were in possession, which is what we addressed at half-time, but in the second half we were excellent.
“We deserved a lot more from that game. We need to make sure we take our chances and I think that was the bit. It’s taken a 35-yard screamer from Ella Toone to beat us today and other than that, Janina [Leitzig] dealt with everything.
“We know that we need to take the chances when we get them and it's hugely disappointing to not take anything from today.”
Toone’s strike in the 83rd minute was yet another late goal to concede for the Foxes, but it was a spectacular effort from distance to separate the sides after making some crucial blocks and challenges throughout the clash.
“In all honesty, I thought we were brilliant in dealing with their chances,” the Interim Manager continued. “I thought the blocks that we made in and around our box were superb, the challenges and the way we got around the ball.
“The players couldn’t have given anymore and it’s obviously frustrating because the performance was there once again, but we unfortunately couldn’t get the result.”
Safety in the Barclays Women’s Super League is already confirmed for City after Bristol City were condemned to the second division following defeat to Manchester City, but the coach spoke about the players’ hunger to finish as high as possible.
Foster added: “I think the difference is that the performances has been there and if they weren’t, then it would be easy to say let’s just get to the end of the season, but the type of players that we’ve got are hungry and we went toe to toe with them (Manchester United).
“In the second half, the chances we created were better than theirs. We’ve got two games left and we need six points, so let’s just see where we finish because I think we can still finish seventh or eighth and that needs to be the focus.”
Goalkeeper Leitzig made her first Foxes appearance following her return from injury and looked set to keep a clean sheet against the Red Devils if not for Toone.
Quick to praise the German shot-stopper, Foster says the season isn’t over yet, as they look ahead to their final away game of the season, against West Ham United on Sunday afternoon (3pm BST kick-off) at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
“She (Leitzig) was great, and I thought she made some fantastic saves,” she concluded. “There wasn’t a huge amount we could do about Ella Toone’s strike, and she kept us in it with big moments in the first half when we weren’t playing quite well enough.
“It’s a defining moment that beat us today and without that, we’re probably getting a point, or if we’re taking our chances than we’re taking all three.
“That’s all we can do, and if we keep on putting in performances like that then one day the luck will change and hopefully that’ll be next week.”