LCFC Women Stun Top-Tier Man Utd In FA Cup Fifth Round
A day after the Club's men lifted the Emirates FA Cup trophy for the very first time, City's women headed north to Leigh Sports Village to tackle the Red Devils in Casey Stoney's final match in charge of the North West outfit.
Libby Smith and Shannon O'Brien came in for Leicester in Leigh, but it was the hosts who started brightest by maintaining early possession and building waves of attacks.
The side who finished fourth in the Barclays FA Women's Super League got a reward for their endeavour on the half-hour mark.
It came about as Leah Galton galloped forwards and threaded a pass through to Jess Sigsworth, who did the rest with a composed finish past joint 2020/21 FA Women's Championship Golden Glove winner Kirstie Levell.
Although behind, the Foxes continued to work hard and they were level before the break.
City's top goalscorer, Natasha Flint, held up the ball nicely before locating O'Brien to run at goal and pick her spot into the bottom corner. In the second half, Levell's qualities were needed to keep Kirsty Hanson's powerful effort from hitting the back of the net.
While Sigsworth drove wide shortly afterwards, Levell was there again to stop Man Utd's opening goalscorer. Jane Ross, though, was able to make it 2-1 to the home side with a low strike taking a deflection but nonetheless remaining on its intended course.
A Red Devils defensive error on 70 minutes, though, came as a result of heavy pressure and a smart pressing game from Leicester as Hannah Cain seized on Maria Thorisdottir’s back-pass before beating Mary Earps.
As she so often has been this term, Flint was the hero for the Foxes, netting their third too.
The former Blackburn Rovers Ladies striker hunted down a lofted ball before showcasing her box of tricks and finding the bottom corner to put the second-tier champions ahead against the Super League challengers for the first time on the day.
Flint had a chance to extend the advantage, too, hitting the side netting from the edge of the area, but the Foxes had ultimately already done enough to secure a big FA Cup scalp.
Major moment
After Hannah Cain had got the Foxes back on level terms, those in attendance may well have expected Man Utd to immediately get to work on restoring their lead, but it was Leicester were on the front foot, growing in confidence as the tie went on.
It came to Natasha Flint on 71 minutes to do what Natasha Flint does best - scoring big goals for LCFC Women.
Who impressed?
Now a regular feature of the team after a lengthy injury lay-out, former Everton forward Hannah Cain offers the Foxes with real attacking quality, often keeping several defenders guessing, either on the flanks or through the middle.
Sunday's visit to Leigh Sports Village was no different for City's No.21, who deservedly got on the scoresheet too.
Where do we stand?
LCFC Women are now in the quarter-finals of the Vitality Women's FA Cup for the second season in a row, with ties expected to take place around Wednesday 29 September, 2021, as this season's competition continues into the 2021/22 campaign.
The details...
City: Levell; Smith, Tierney, Plumptre, Howard; Allen, Barker (c); Flint, Cain, Paul; O’Brien (Devlin 60').
Subs not used: Lambourne, Harris, Riglar, Fleming, Thomas, Ferguson, Wood, Camwell.
Goals: O’Brien 45+1', Cain 69', Flint 71'.