Man City vs Barcelona Femeni final score: Bunny Shaw seals stirring Champions League triumph for WSL side
Manchester City marked their return to the UEFA Women’s Champions League with stirring 2-0 win over imperious holders Barcelona.
Barca are looking to make it three European titles in a row but ran into a first-half storm at a sold-out Joie Stadium, where Naomi Layzell’s scrambled 36th-minute goal was the least Gareth Taylor’s team deserved for their efforts.
Pere Romeu’s came on strong as expected after the break, subjecting City to a sustained spell of pressure during which home centre-backs Laia Aleixandri — once of Barcelona’s academy — and Alex Greenwood excelled.
Bunny Shaw also mucked in with a titanic defensive effort and when City’s powerhouse striker was sent through on goal by Layzell 13 minutes from time she produced a finish of poise and finesse to seal a memorable triumph for the WSL side.
🐰 Bunny Shaw doubles City’s lead against the European champs!
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City’s commitment to pressing Barcelona high up the pitch and taking the game to Europe’s dominant team came with risks that were underlined by Caroline Graham Hansen exchanging passes with Alexia Putellas to rattle the post in the fourth minute.
But Taylor’s charges would not be deterred and Lauren Hemp stuck the upright at the other end as Jess Park began to dictate terms from midfield and Barca’s backline struggled in vain to contain Shaw.
Aleixandri had to scramble an Ewa Pajor effort off the line but that merely punctuated an increasingly assured attacking performance from City, let down a little too often by the final ball. Catalina Coll saved brilliantly to deny Park in the 35th minute but horribly misjudged the resulting corner from Hemp. Viviane Miedema nodded back across goal and Layzell picked the perfect time to score her first goal in senior football.
Miedema passed up good chances on either side of the break before Barca finally got a grip on the contest. City repelled waves of pressure and struggled for their earlier poise on the ball.
Shaw was frequently back to help out with the defensive effort and was not about to let another chance slip away when Layzell brilliantly released her behind the Catalans’ high defensive line. The Jamaica star rounded Coll and clipped a finish past the sliding Ona Batlle to make sure of the points.
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Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni score
Fulltime | Goalscorers | |
Man City | 2 | Layzell 36′, Shaw 77′ |
Barcelona | 0 |
Venue: Joie Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Stephanie Frappart (France)
Lineups:
Man City (4-3-3, right to left): 31. Yamashita (GK) — 3. Layzell, 4. Aleixandri (14. Kennedy), 5. Greenwood, 18. Casparij — 16. Park (10, Roord), 25. Hasegawa, 6. Miedema — 8. Fowler, (20. Fujino) 21. Shaw, 11. Hemp
Barcelona (4-3-3, right to left): 13. Coll (GK) — 22. Batlle, 23. Engen (9. Pina), 4. Leon, 16. Rolfo (24. Brugts) — 14. Bonmati (18. Nazareth), 21. Walsh (19. Vicky Lopez), 12. Patri — 10. Graham Hansen, 17. Pajor, 11. Putellas (2. Paredes)
MORE: Who has won most UEFA Women’s Champions League titles? | When is the 2025 UWCL final?
Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni live updates, highlights, and commentary
Fulltime
It’s all over. What a win for Manchester City, whose players are understandably delighted on down on the field. They were a whirlwind Barca could not contain during the first half and had to dig in during a sometimes torrid second half. But Bunny Shaw’s coolly taken one-on-one made sure of the points. It’s a statement win for Gareth Taylor’s team, perhaps slaying any remaining demons from last season’s WSL run-in. Thanks for joining us.
90 mins+4: Ouch! Layzell has enjoyed a breakout evening but has turned her ankle and might not be able to finish the game.
90 mins+3: Barca keep asking the question. Another corner and Vicky Lopez has a shot blocked.
89 mins: Aleixandri isn’t going to be able to complete a game where she is one of several City starts with a claim to being player of the match. Alana Kennedy is on for the last throes of this one. There will be six minutes added on.
86 mins: Treble change from Pere Romeu sees Putellas, Bonmati and Walsh all make way. A last roll of the dice or a white flag?
84 mins: Aleixandri, who has been magnificent when you consider her early booking, is down and looks in a bit of pain.
81 mins: More fresh legs for City as Fujino replaces Fowler on the right-hand side of the attack.
79 mins: Park, who has been superb, makes way for Roord. The Netherlands international’s experience will be welcome here as City look to see this out.
77 mins: GOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!! Bunny Shaw!!!!!
That goal could hardly be more against the run of play but Manchester City will not care. Shaw darts in behind Barca’s high line onto a fine lofted pass from Layzell. She rounds Coll, looks like she’s overplayed it but clips a fantastic finish past the bodies charging back towards the goalmouth.
🐰 Bunny Shaw doubles City’s lead against the European champs!
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75 mins: Free-kick cut back short to Putellas, whose shot is blocked. Back in from Leon and Shaw plays centre-half. Yamashita claims the next cross and Greenwood and Putellas have an extended disagreement.
74 mins: City half-clear but now Park bring down Leon on the left. Another set-piece to see off.
73 mins: Bonmati engineers space to shoot on the edge of the City box. Wicked deflection and Yamashita pushes over.
72 mins: Putellas’ cross causes a bit of confusion in between Greenwood and Aleixandri but Yamashita is able to mop up. Another attaching substitution from Barcelona as Brugts comes on for Rolfo.
70 mins: Taylor is right out on the edge of his technical area, urging his side on. Surely he’ll turn to his bench soon as Walsh curls a shot into Yamashita’s gloves. Barca are knocking at the door, enjoying just enough time and space on the ball now City’s physical level has dropped slightly.
68 mins: Graham Hansen takes, Greenwood gets up to clear and then again. Excellent work from the City skipper.
67 mins: Now Park gives a free-kick away. Crossing position on the right for Barca.
66 mins: Pajor relishes getting room to charge down the right flank. Greenwood is there to block from Graham Hansen. Now here’s substitute Pina having a pop from 25-yards. Ooohhh, that’s not far away at all.
64 mins: Putellas brings down an over-hit corner but runs out of pitch when she tries to go around Hemp.
63 mins: City looking to take the sting out but Greenwood and Yamashita invite the Barca press and Hasegawa is forced to give away a corner.
59 mins: Graham Hansen over another Barca corner. Shaw there to head clear. Such a huge presence in both boxes tonight. Oh, hang on, here’s the downside of having a striker back to help out. Shaw tries to spin away on the edge of her own box and Walsh picks her pocket. Bonmati with the shot and Yamashita plunges to her right to save.
57 mins: Leon blooters it out for a goal kick and City can breathe easy for a moment.
55 mins: Barca scythe down the City right this time. Casparij scrambles behind for a corner with Graham Hansen in close attendance. Are we entering the part of the game where Barca make their hosts suffer. The corner is cleared but now the champions a have a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left.
54 mins: Bonmati has been on the margins of the this game but that’s a lovely ball to Graham Hansen. She finds Putellas, who applies the finish but meets a fabulous block from Aleixandri!
53 mins: Hemp’s corner is aimed for Shaw, who is hustled off the ball but again City pin Barca in.
52 mins: Yikes. Park whips in an early cross from the right and Engen almost makes a complete hash of it. Behind for a corner.
48 mins: Ohhhh, Meiedema should score! Park floats in a delicious free-kick from the left and the former Arsenal star makes glancing contact when a firmer header would have done the job.
47 mins: Hemp finds the under-lapping Casparij, who’s brought down by Graham Hansen. That’s a yellow card.
Kickoff: 2nd Half
Off we go again. Can City maintain their level? Can Barcelona start to look more like their old selves and capitalise when, surely, Taylor’s team drop off a little bit?
Halftime
City deservedly lead 1-0 thanks to Naomi Layzell’s first goal for the club. Gareth Taylor’s side have been superb in and out of possession. The only justifiably complaint is they should be more than a goal to the good and leaving this great Barcelona side in the game could cost them in the second half. The Blaugrana were 1-0 down at the interval at the weekend too. They beat Madrid CFF 8-1.
45 mins+2: More ragged, hurried play out from the back from Barca gives Fowler a shooting chance. The Australia star blazes over from outside the box. City really should be more than 1-0 up here.
45 mins: There’ll be two minutes added on at the end of what has been pulsating first half.
42 mins: Barca’s first attack of note for a while, Graham Hansen down the right channel. She drills goalwards but Yamashita is behind it.
39 mins: Shaw down receiving treatment. Taylor will hope that’s nothing serious because his striker has given City an X-factor here.
38 mins: Almost 2-0! Shaw shrugs off Walsh and Bonmati. Miedema into the box and Batlle makes a vital last-ditch block. Barca really on the ropes here.
36 mins: GOOOAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!! Naomi Layzell!!!
Oh no, it’s a nightmare for Coll. This corner is only happening because of her wonderful save but she gets horrible caught under the ball, Miedema nods back across goal and Layzell slides home her first goal for City who have a deserved lead.
🔵 CIIIIITYYYYYY !!!
Naomi Layzell transforms Joie Stadium into Dreamland, as the hosts lead the European champions.
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35 mins: Fabulous save from Coll! City pick Barca apart with a wonderful one and two-touch move down the left. Miedema tees up Park but Coll make a fabulous reaction save.
32 mins: Fowler’s radar is unusually off as she clatters the free-kick way over Shaw and everyone else.
30 mins: Leon brings down a rampaging Shaw on the left. The Barca defender is anguished over her resulting yellow card but there can’t really be any legitimate complaints.
28 mins: Sublime play from Fowler, switching play to the left. Coll claims Hemp’s cross unfussily.
23 mins: Shaw turns on the edge of the area. Shot deflected behind. Not everything she’s done has come off but Barca don’t look like they can handle City’s centre-forward with any conviction. The corner comes to nought.
21 mins: Back come City as Park pulls out to the right and sends in a doozy of a cross that Miedema can’t get on the end of. It’s been a superb start from the hosts but it’s hard to imagine them not paying for failing to make these opportunities count.
19 mins: ALEIXANDRI OFF THE LINE! City make a complete mess of things at the back and Pajor bundles the ball off Yamashita. The angle is against here but it still looks like a certain goal before Aleixandri has other ideas and scrambles to safety.
⛔ Laia Aleixandri coming out of nowhere to prevent Barcelona’s opener!
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16 mins: HEMP HITS THE POST! City really should be ahead. Fowler stuns a glorious pass in behind for Shaw. The Jamaica striker opts against shooting and her cutback is behind Meidema. It runs to Hemp who thumps against the upright. In truth, her teammates should have capitalised upon that opportunity before the ball came her way.
14 mins: Shaw causing damage down the Barcelona left. Miedema on the end of the cutback and her shot is blocked. Barca look to take the attack up the other end but Aleixandri hacks Putellas down and is booked.
13 mins: Wonderful first-touch from Putellas. It means the ball sits up to be hit. She strikes it well enough but it’s straight at Yamashita.
12 mins: Coll under pressure again and can only boot it to Greenwood. Clearly a ploy from City. Now Hemp into the area and she’s penalised a little harshly for a foul on Batlle.
9 mins: Hemp picks Graham Hansen’s pocket but her pass for Shaw is off the mark. Not for the first time, City undermine some tenacious play by looking for their striker far roo easily. Looking to knock Barca out of their stride is laudable but that will become impossible if they don’t take better care of the ball.
8 mins: Corner to City, which is delayed because there’s some faffing going on in the Barca box. Hemp floats it to the back post, where Miedema is penalised for foul.
6 mins: Shaw almost presser Barca goalkeeper Col into an error. It allows City to stay on the attack. Shaw can’t get the ball out of her feet before Park has a shot blocked bravely by Leon.
4 mins: City commit bodies to the attack and right-back Layzell turns over possession. Here’s Graham Hansen for Barca, she exchanges passes with Putellas and rattles a shot against the outside of the near post!
Kickoff: 1st Half
Barcelona get us underway. City press their opponents high from kickoff. That will be a bold, high-risk approach if they keep it up.
4 mins before kickoff: Here come the team, entering the sold-out arena. This really should be a cracker.
15 mins before kickoff: Tonight’s game is being played at the Joie Stadium, which sits adjacent to the Etihad Stadium and is part of the City Football Academy in east Manchester. The 7,000-capacity venue is sold out with Barca in town.
In the house! 🩵#ManCity | #UWCL pic.twitter.com/Rm62jCnX3a
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) October 9, 2024
30 mins before kickoff: In Wednesday’s other game in Group D, Hammarby were 2-0 winners over St Polten. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich ran out 5-2 winners in a thriller against City’s WSL counterparts Arsenal. The game in Munich was locked at 2-2 heading towards the final quarter of an hour before Pernille Harder fired a 13-minute hat-trick.
🤩 PERNILLE HARDTRICK !
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40 mins before kickoff: City boss Gareth Taylor has been speaking to his club’s official website before kickoff
I think they [the players] are like we all are – excited and looking forward to the challenge ahead of us. It’s great to be back in the Champions League and we’re aware our objective was to get to this point and the next objective now is to progress into the next stage. That starts tonight and it’s a tough opponent, but one we’re really excited facing.
“It’s hard to say [how the match will play out]. It’s going to be interesting to see who dominates the spaces. Hopefully if we don’t have the ball we can get it back quickly, I think that’s going to be important. That’s not always going to be possible but I think we can cause them problems when we have the ball. Let’s see, it’s a difficult one to predict.
1 hour before kickoff: The teams are in. Mary Fowler is a surprise starter in attack for City alongside Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw, while it looks like Alexia Putellas will be in the Barca front three, with Patri Guijarro joining former City hero Keira Walsh and the peerless Aitana Bonmati in midfield.
Tonight’s team news! ⭐️
XI | Yamashita, Layzell, Aleixandri, Greenwood (C), Miedema, Fowler, Hemp, Park, Casparij, Shaw, Hasegawa
SUBS | Keating, Startup, Coombs, Kelly, Roord, Kennedy, Ouahabi, Blindkilde Brown, Fujino, Prior, Thomas, Murphy#ManCity | #UWCL pic.twitter.com/hLpmJm0xmZ
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) October 9, 2024
🚨 BARÇA XI 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Q85xuVco7h
— FC Barcelona Femení (@FCBfemeni) October 9, 2024
1 hr 30 mins before kickoff: There’s no question City are up against it tonight versus a team that have won each of the past two Champions Leagues and three of the past four. The one they didn’t win saw Lyon beat them in the final. However, the last time these teams met on this stage, City were 2-1 winners. There’s a sizeable caveat: Barca progressed from that 2021 tie having won the first leg 3-0.
2 hours before kickoff. Hello and welcome to the UEFA Women’s Champions League Group D clash between Manchester City and Barcelona. Gareth Taylor’s WSL side have not featured in the competition proper since 2020/21, and they could not have asked for a tougher assignment first up.
Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni kick off time
This UEFA Women’s Champions League match kicks off in Manchester at 8 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:
Date | Kickoff time | |
USA | Wed, Oct 9 | 3 p.m. ET |
Canada | Wed, Oct 9 | 3 p.m. ET |
UK | Wed, Oct 9 | 8 p.m. BST |
Australia | Thu, Oct 10 | 6 a.m. AEDT |
India | Thu, Oct 10 | 12 a.m. IST |
Watch every match of the 2024/25 UEFA Women’s Champions League LIVE through DAZN.
Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni lineups, team news
Star striker Bunny Shaw starts for City. The Jamaica international appeared as a second-half substitute during the 2-0 WSL victory over West Ham following a groin complaint.
Jess Park missed out on that game with a foot injury, but it was a memorable weekend for Jill Roord who made her first start in nine months following an ACL injury. Park starts in headline summer signing Vivianne Miedema in midfield. Roord is on the bench alongside England forward Chloe Kelly after Mary Fowler got the nod in attack.
Man City (4-3-3, right to left): Yamashita (GK) — Layzell, Aleixandri, Greenwood, Casparij — Park, Hasegawa, Miedema — Fowler, Shaw, Hemp
Man City subs: Keating (GK), Startup (GK), Coombs, Kelly, Roord, Kennedy, Ouahabi, Brown, Fujino, Prior, Thomas, Murphy
Barcelona boss Pere Romeu shuffled his pack against Madrid CFF at the weekend but was forced to bring some of the big guns into action when their rivals led 1-0 at the interval.
Alexia Putellas, Claudia Pina, Fridolina Rolfo, Irene Paredes and Ona Batlle all came off the bench to inspire a monstrous 8-1 win. Putellas starts in the front three tonight, with Batlle and Rolfo in their familiar full-back positions.
This game comes too soon for forward Salma Paralluelo but former City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck has a place on the bench.
Barcelona (4-3-3, right to left): Coll (GK) — Batlle, Engen, Leon, Rolfo — Bonmati, Walsh, Patri — Graham Hansen, Pajor, Putellas
Barcelona subs: Gemma (GK), Roebuck (GK), Paredes, Jana Fernandez, Torrejon, Pina, Nazareth, Lopez, Martina Fernandez, Brugts, Cano
Man City vs. Barcelona Femeni live stream, TV channel
Here is how to watch the match in some of the world’s major regions:
United States:
- TV channel: —
- Live stream: DAZN
Canada:
- TV channel: —
- Live stream: DAZN
UK:
- TV channel: TNT Sports 1
- Live stream: discovery+, DAZN