MANCHESTER, England– How do you defeat the best team in Europe? Just ask Manchester City.
The Women’s Super League team returned to continental football and enacted the perfect game plan to foil the reigning UEFA Women’s Champions League title holders Barcelona and claimed an emphatic 2-0 victory at the Joie Stadium, proving that even the best team in Europe is beatable.
The 2-0 scoreline does not entirely reflect how well Manchester City played to keep the dominant and aggressive Barcelona at bay. City were the perfect example of how to contain the usually formidable Catalans, even when the visitors began to apply pressure.
“The performance in the first half was top, and so was the second [half],” manager Gareth Taylor said of his side’s emphatic performance.
“The level that we played to in the first half was very, very good. I felt, with all my respect to Barcelona, we could have been maybe three or four up due to the opportunities we created and the pressure we put on them.”
It was a fast start from the hosts that took Barcelona by surprise. Out of the gate, Taylor’s side meant business and knew they could not switch off to allow Barcelona to take advantage.
City created plenty of chances but squandered the end product, with their final touch and…
