Uefa Women’s Europa Cup, first qualifying round, first leg
Glasgow City 3
Athlone Town 0
A MISERABLE NIGHT in Glasgow, a difficult week compounded.
Athlone Town need nothing short of a miracle if they are to keep their European dream alive.
The Women’s Premier Division champions fell to a 3-0 defeat in the first leg of their historic Europa Cup qualifier at a rain-sodden Petershill Park.
Goals from Amy Anderson, Linda Motlhalo and Lisa Forrest — all assisted by the excellent Sofia Määttä — mean it’s advantage Glasgow City ahead of next Wednesday’s return tie in Lissywollen.
Game, set, match, perhaps.
It was a frustrating first night at the office for interim manager John Sullivan, taking charge after Colin Fortune’s shock, acrimonious departure at the weekend.
Athlone held their own, and were right in the game for large spells, but Glasgow’s quality shone through and their European experience paid. Two goals in five second-half minutes ultimately killed off the tie.
Sullivan made one change to the Athlone XI after Saturday’s league win over Shamrock Rovers, with Kayleigh Shine returning to central defence ahead of Sarah Rice. Glasgow had an Irish flavour in their team, with Erin McLaughlin starting and Emily Whelan featuring off the bench late on.
The hosts settled slightly better on a wet, quick astro, threatening through Abi Harisson and former Arsenal defender Lisa Evans early doors. Athlone shook off early nerves, and their high press soon paid dividends. Kelly Brady pounced on a defensive error and went agonisingly close in the 11th minute, but Lee Gibson pushed the centre-forward’s snapshot over the bar.
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The visitors kept the pressure on, with midfield maestro Hannah Waesch the latest to capitalise and win a corner, but it was from that which Glasgow drew first blood.
They cleared Gibson’s in-swinger and countered; Määttä surging down the left past Shauna Brennan, and sending in a dangerous cross which Megan Plaschko ultimately palmed to Anderson for a simple finish at the back post.
Glasgow took control for a period thereafter, Plaschko stepping up with a superb save to deny Motlhalo at one point, but Athlone grew back into the game with their wingers showing glimpses: Róisín Molloy began to threaten, while Gibson saw deliveries cleared off the line and smothered by her namesake in the Glasgow goal.
Athlone will have been encouraged by a relatively even first half in which their attack failed to fully fire. As the rain pelted down outside, the message in the dressing room will have been to keep it tight, and take any golden opportunities that arise.
But on the stroke of the hour, they trailed 3-0.
After producing two more good saves, Plashko was left with little chance as Athlone were twice undone down their left in five devastating minutes.
Määttä was chief tormentor: first stealing from the passive Brennan and crossing to Motlhalo, who took a touch and finished well in the 55th minute. Then, the Finland international turned on the burners and assisted Forrest to turn home.
Athlone will have been disappointed with the goals, the second in particular, and felt aggrieved by the scoreboard difference.
Glasgow generally dominated the endgame as their quality shone through — Motlhalo really should have made it four, while Plaschko was also called to action — but Athlone did carve out chances to pull one back.
While attempts from Kate Slevin, Waesch and Gibson were too tame, Molloy was frustrated not to do better when a deep Gibson delivery was flapped at and her effort was kept out by the recovering goalkeeper.
Brady was smothered late on after Gibson pounced on another defensive mishap, and substitute Izzy Groves headed a corner wide deep into injury time.
Athlone will continue to battle in the return leg on home soil next week, but it appears this may prove a bridge too far after a magical European run.
First, they look to keep their domestic double dream alive in Sunday’s FAI Cup semi-final against Shamrock Rovers.
Glasgow City: Lee Gibson (captain); Lisa Evans (Emma Brownlie 84), Lana Golob, Kimberley Smit, Amy Muir (Chloe Warrington 69); Sofia Määttä (Emily Whelan 84), Linda Mothalo, Amy Anderson, Lisa Forest; Erin McLaughlin (Katie Lockwood 69), Abi Harrison (Nicole Kozlova 56).
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Disappointment for Athlone Town in Europa Cup qualifier away to Glasgow City
Uefa Women’s Europa Cup, first qualifying round, first leg
Glasgow City 3
Athlone Town 0
A MISERABLE NIGHT in Glasgow, a difficult week compounded.
Athlone Town need nothing short of a miracle if they are to keep their European dream alive.
The Women’s Premier Division champions fell to a 3-0 defeat in the first leg of their historic Europa Cup qualifier at a rain-sodden Petershill Park.
Goals from Amy Anderson, Linda Motlhalo and Lisa Forrest — all assisted by the excellent Sofia Määttä — mean it’s advantage Glasgow City ahead of next Wednesday’s return tie in Lissywollen.
Game, set, match, perhaps.
It was a frustrating first night at the office for interim manager John Sullivan, taking charge after Colin Fortune’s shock, acrimonious departure at the weekend.
Athlone held their own, and were right in the game for large spells, but Glasgow’s quality shone through and their European experience paid. Two goals in five second-half minutes ultimately killed off the tie.
Sullivan made one change to the Athlone XI after Saturday’s league win over Shamrock Rovers, with Kayleigh Shine returning to central defence ahead of Sarah Rice. Glasgow had an Irish flavour in their team, with Erin McLaughlin starting and Emily Whelan featuring off the bench late on.
The hosts settled slightly better on a wet, quick astro, threatening through Abi Harisson and former Arsenal defender Lisa Evans early doors. Athlone shook off early nerves, and their high press soon paid dividends. Kelly Brady pounced on a defensive error and went agonisingly close in the 11th minute, but Lee Gibson pushed the centre-forward’s snapshot over the bar.
The visitors kept the pressure on, with midfield maestro Hannah Waesch the latest to capitalise and win a corner, but it was from that which Glasgow drew first blood.
They cleared Gibson’s in-swinger and countered; Määttä surging down the left past Shauna Brennan, and sending in a dangerous cross which Megan Plaschko ultimately palmed to Anderson for a simple finish at the back post.
Glasgow took control for a period thereafter, Plaschko stepping up with a superb save to deny Motlhalo at one point, but Athlone grew back into the game with their wingers showing glimpses: Róisín Molloy began to threaten, while Gibson saw deliveries cleared off the line and smothered by her namesake in the Glasgow goal.
Athlone will have been encouraged by a relatively even first half in which their attack failed to fully fire. As the rain pelted down outside, the message in the dressing room will have been to keep it tight, and take any golden opportunities that arise.
But on the stroke of the hour, they trailed 3-0.
After producing two more good saves, Plashko was left with little chance as Athlone were twice undone down their left in five devastating minutes.
Määttä was chief tormentor: first stealing from the passive Brennan and crossing to Motlhalo, who took a touch and finished well in the 55th minute. Then, the Finland international turned on the burners and assisted Forrest to turn home.
Athlone will have been disappointed with the goals, the second in particular, and felt aggrieved by the scoreboard difference.
Glasgow generally dominated the endgame as their quality shone through — Motlhalo really should have made it four, while Plaschko was also called to action — but Athlone did carve out chances to pull one back.
While attempts from Kate Slevin, Waesch and Gibson were too tame, Molloy was frustrated not to do better when a deep Gibson delivery was flapped at and her effort was kept out by the recovering goalkeeper.
Brady was smothered late on after Gibson pounced on another defensive mishap, and substitute Izzy Groves headed a corner wide deep into injury time.
Athlone will continue to battle in the return leg on home soil next week, but it appears this may prove a bridge too far after a magical European run.
First, they look to keep their domestic double dream alive in Sunday’s FAI Cup semi-final against Shamrock Rovers.
Glasgow City: Lee Gibson (captain); Lisa Evans (Emma Brownlie 84), Lana Golob, Kimberley Smit, Amy Muir (Chloe Warrington 69); Sofia Määttä (Emily Whelan 84), Linda Mothalo, Amy Anderson, Lisa Forest; Erin McLaughlin (Katie Lockwood 69), Abi Harrison (Nicole Kozlova 56).
Athlone Town: Megan Plaschko; Kellie Brennan, Kayleigh Shine, Natalie McNally, Shauna Brennan (Sarah Rice 71); Kate Slevin (Izzy Groves 79), Hannah Waesch, Alexis Strickland (Aoife Murphy O’Connor 71); Róisín Molloy, Kelly Brady, Madie Gibson (captain).
Referee: Tjaša Misja (Slovenia).
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Europa Cup Football Match Report Soccer