It was a night to remember under the floodlights of Princes Park in the FA Continental Cup, as Kenni Thompson and her London City Lionesses teammates claimed victory over visiting Birmingham City, following a nail-biting penalty shootout.
The London City Lionesses got their breakthrough just before the end of the first half, when Karin Muya won the ball back just on the edge of the area.
Muya then proceeded to do what she’s been doing all season for London City; weaving her way through the outstretched legs of the Birmingham defenders, she was able to get through on goal and then calmly slot the ball home.
In the second half, City continued where they had left off, dominating possession, and continuing to cause problems for Birmingham.
Yet again this dominance produced results, this time from Amy Rodgers, who picked up the ball from just outside the box, took a touch, picked her spot, and then fired it past the outstretched Birmingham keeper.
But the goal seemed to spur the WSL outfit, with Darren Carter’s side now fighting back, and getting their first goal of the game with 10 minutes left to play, when Ryan-Doyle got on the end of a pass across the face of goal.
Then just a few minutes later, Ryan-Doyle got her second of the game, picking up on a free kick to slot it just past the outstretched glove of Yanez.
Thompson who came off the bench at the half-time break was selected to take the London City Lionesses second penalty and she was successful.
For the first few rounds it seemed like nothing was going to separate the two teams from the spot, but whilst the Lionesses had little trouble getting past the Birmingham keeper, Yanez proved too much for the visitors, saving two penalties to give London City the win, and the extra point.
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