LONDON, Khadija “Bunny” Shaw capped a brilliant Sunday in Britain for Jamaica footballers when she scored the only goal of the game as Manchester City won their Women’s Super League (WSL) match at West Ham United’s Chigwell Construction Stadium 1-0.
The WSL’s top scorer, Spanish Town-born Shaw, took her league goal tally to nine, five minutes after the break as fourth-placed City moved to within three points of the Champions League places with action returning at the weekend following a winter break.
Deyna Castellanos’ superb first-time pass put striker Shaw through on goal, and the Reggae Girl coolly rounded Hammers’ goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold to score.
Shaw later saw a stabbed effort hit a post, and Castellanos was denied by a good reaction save from Arnold as the game was played exclusively in the West Ham half for long spells.
“I think we showed good resilience,” City boss Gareth Taylor told Sky Sports afterward.
“[Shaw] is the talisman at the moment with producing the goals. I thought her all-around game was excellent. She’s a real asset for us.”
City’s win extends their unbeaten run to 11 matches in all competitions.
To begin their WSL campaign, back-to-back defeats have left City playing catch-up with Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal storming ahead.
However, they are unbeaten since a 2-0 reverse at Chelsea late in September, and following a 1-1 draw on Sunday between Arsenal and leaders Chelsea, they are now only six points off the top spot with a game in hand.
“When you win games, you build confidence,” Shaw said. “It’s a new team, so we kept believing. Once you’re winning and scoring goals, the momentum comes.”
Earlier on Sunday, Reggae Boy Kemar Roofe was Rangers’ hero as his first goal of an injury-plagued season saw his side reach the final of the Scottish League Cup following a 2-1 extra-time win over 10-man Aberdeen.
But Roofe went off in the second period of extra time with a shoulder injury, although it was not immediately clear how serious it was ahead of a scan on Monday.
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