Manchester United made it a successful debut in the Women’s Champions League as they secured a 1-0 win over Valerenga.
Marc Skinner’s side made history after qualifying for the league phase of the competition and they made sure there was even more to celebrate after Maya Le Tissier’s penalty gave them a valuable three points.
A cagey start sprung into life as Melvine Malard dispossessed a Valerenga defender inside the penalty area. Instead of laying off to a teammate, she forced a save from Tove Enblom and Elisabeth Terland saw her rebound cleared off the line by Michaela Kovacs.
This gave the hosts the impetus to keep pushing, and they would get their reward. Arna Eirksodottir was penalised for a harsh handball despite keeping her arms down to her side, which allowed United captain Le Tissier to step up and score the club’s first Champions League goal.
Le Tissier became United’s first goalscorer in the Champions League
As has been the case domestically this season, the hosts were near impossible to break through, winning the ball quickly but at times lacking the cutting edge to do anything with their dominance in possession.
Terland scored seven goals in the qualifying rounds of the tournament, but was unable to add to her impressive tally as the visitors remained stubborn in their low block.
The victory means that United continue their unbeaten start to the season. It also makes them the only WSL team in the competition to have made a perfect start to the league phase, after defending European champions Arsenal lost to Lyon and a much-changed Chelsea slipped to a draw against FC Twente.
More to follow…
