Mary Fowler claims WCL victory for relieved Manchester City after horror in St. Pölten | Women’s Champions League

Manchester City had to overcome a major upset against Austrian underdogs St Pölten in the Women’s Champions League to secure a shaky win.

Just a week after they deservedly defeated reigning European champions Barcelona on home soil with one of the best performances in the club’s history, Gareth Taylor’s side received a major wake-up call when they fell 2-1 behind early in the second half. But after resting a number of first-team batsmen in the starting line-up, Taylor called the cavalry into action in the second half and a late header from Australian striker Mary Fowler gave them a 3-2 win that felt inevitable Leaders of the Women’s Super League at the start of the season increased the pressure.

However, the performance will still have given a relieved Taylor food for thought on a night where his side defended particularly poorly from set pieces and, at the other end, displayed a frustrating profligacy in front of goal.

At first it looked like it would be an easy evening for the English club, especially when Alanna Kennedy fell out of character and fired a brilliant long-range shot into the far corner in the first five minutes, giving them a 1-0 lead achieved. It was the Australian centre-back’s first goal in club football since their win over Birmingham City in May 2022 and her first goal in the Women’s Champions League.

Ironically, Kennedy then missed a chance fans would have expected her to convert, missing a header from a Fowler corner just two meters away at the back post. Laura Blindkilde Brown also placed rather tamely from close range and had another great chance for City in the first half when they were held off by a series of great saves from Carina Schlüter. The goalkeeper gave St Pölten hope by denying Jess Park, Japanese striker Aoba Fujino and Fowler before Fowler watched in agony as a deflected shot hit the crossbar.

The home team then took advantage of a sloppy City defense and equalized, Melanie Brunnthaler scoring the equalizer. Taylor brought on Jamaican striker Khadija Shaw in response to the score at half-time – seemingly much earlier than planned – but two more excellent saves from Schlüter kept the score level ahead of the Austrians, who only took a single point in the Group Stages of the Champions League last season – took a surprise lead when Kamila Dubcova skillfully shot into the corner of the net from the turn. This time it was a free kick that City failed to clear, allowing the Czech midfielder to turn and score in the second period.

Within four minutes of going behind, Fujino volleyed in a perfectly weighted cross from Chloe Kelly to make it 2-2, but Taylor was not happy – a triple substitution brought in star stars Lauren Hemp, Jill Roord and Laia Aleixandri, and with them came City domination . Finally, Fowler headed in a deadly corner from Hemp to maintain City’s winning start to the Champions League campaign.

Taylor’s much-changed starting XI also included the debut of 18-year-old Codie Thomas at the senior club, and elements of her performance at right-back may have encouraged the coach. The academy product was given a chance a week after another young City defender, 20-year-old England U23 international Naomi Layzell, contributed a goal and an assist to the surprise star of the win over Barcelona.

There was also cause for encouragement for Kelly, who started the game after coming off the bench in wins over Barcelona and Liverpool. Her reduction in playing time so far this season had led to reports that she was considering leaving the club, apparently after falling out with Taylor, but on Tuesday he called the story “a non-event” and said he was with Kelly happy. Her assist for Fujino’s second-half equalizer was crucial to the comeback.