Hemp winner sends Manchester City top after London City test

Manchester City returned to the top of the Women’s Super League with a 2-1 away win over London City Lionesses on Sunday. Lauren Hemp scored the decisive goal in the 74th minute, according to City’s official match report, after Jana Fernández had briefly brought the hosts level.

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Khadija Shaw opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, taking Hemp’s pass around goalkeeper Mary Earps before finishing. Fernández equalised with a header from a corner in the 72nd minute, but Hemp converted Mary Fowler’s cross two minutes later. City held on to end London City’s nine-match unbeaten sequence.

The result offered another narrow away success against these opponents. In their January meeting, City also won 2-1, although the goals came from different combinations of players. The club’s report of that earlier fixture records Kerolin scoring first before Freya Godfrey equalised in the second half. Shaw eventually settled that match with an 86th-minute finish, rescuing victory after London City had twice struck the woodwork. That win had extended City’s league winning streak to 12 matches and moved them nine points clear at the time.

This Sunday’s victory followed a frustrating European result for City. In its build-up to the London City fixture, the club reported that Thursday’s Women’s Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain had ended in a draw. Shaw put City ahead from the penalty spot in the 85th minute, only for Tara Elimbi Gilbert to equalise before the hosts could secure their first win in Europe this season.

That late PSG goal had denied City a victory in a match in which both teams were seeking points to strengthen their chances of finishing in the league phase’s top four. Against London City, by contrast, City retained their advantage after Hemp’s quick response to the equaliser and took all three league points.

City’s match report put them on 22 points, six ahead of third-placed London City, while noting their lead at the summit could be temporary. Their unbeaten run across all competitions now stands at 14 matches.