Manchester City started their Women’s Champions League campaign with an impressive 2-0 win against reigning champions Barcelona, as Gareth Taylor offered a “positive” injury update on Naomi Layzell.
The 20-year-old defender scored the opening goal and played Khadija Shaw in for the second as City handed Barcelona their first defeat in six months at the Joie Stadium.
Shortly after the second goal went in, Layzall went down off the ball and was seen clutching the Achilles area before being helped off the pitch by the medical team.
Taylor has since offered a positive update on the situation after the win, where he revealed the initial assessments suggest it was not a serious injury.
“My first instinct was I hope that’s not an Achilles,” he said. “She seems to be okay. Presenting more of a rolled ankle but hasn’t rolled it. Physios are fairly positive.”
How City beat WCL champions Barcelona
City were not overawed by the prospect of facing the Spanish giants and dominated them in the first half, as Lauren Hemp saw an effort cannon off the woodwork and Jessica Park was denied from close range.
Barcelona showed promise in flashes and it was Ewa Pajor who had the pick of the early chances for the visitors after pouncing on an under-hit back pass and rounding Ayaka Yamashita, only to be denied by a heroic goal-line clearance from Laia Aleixandri.
Manchester City’s Vivianne Miedema has a shot blocked by Barcelona’s Ona Batlle
Taylor’s side eventually made their threat count as Layzell latched onto a Vivianne Meidema header to bundle her team into a deserved lead just before half-time.
City, who were spurred on by the sell-out Joie Stadium crowd, continued to push for a second after the break and came close through Miedema but her header from an Alex Greenwood free-kick span wide.
The suffocating tempo from the hosts eventually fell off as the game went on but the performances of Aleixandri and Yamashita at the back ensured the clean sheet remained in tact.
Pressure continued to mount on City but they relieved it in the best way possible by doubling the lead.
Shaw was played through by Layzell before skipping past one challenge, rounding Barcelona goalkeeper Cata Coll and slotting her effort into the back of the net.
More to follow…
When are the Champions League group stages?
Here are the remaining dates for the fixtures:
Matchday 2: 16/17 October Matchday 3: 12/13 November Matchday 4: 20/21 November Matchday 5: 11/12 December Matchday 6: 17/18 December
