Manchester United Women cruised to a 5-1 victory over Durham in the Women's League Cup group stage on Wednesday. This form is a welcome boost as they sit ninth in the standings with four points from four WSL matches.
Rebecca Bernal opened the scoring with a looping set-piece that found the top corner. Durham responded in the 19th minute when Lucy Watson curled a free-kick into the bottom corner past Janina Leitzig. United regained control just before the hour mark as Dominique Janssen fired in a free-kick. Monica Jusu Bah then scored her first goal for the club with a neat finish from the edge of the box. Mared Griffiths added a fourth late on, and Elisabeth Terland completed the rout in stoppage time.
Manager Eva Olid fielded a strong side, with Lea Schuller starting up front and Ellen Wangerheim operating in a number ten role. The team dominated 68% of possession and created numerous chances, with Durham goalkeeper Anna King making several saves, including tipping a Simi Awujo effort over the bar and denying Wangerheim in a one-on-one. The team's recent attacking prowess is reflected in the stats from this cup run.
Olid highlighted the team's momentum after the match. “Manchester United Women's team has three wins in a row after a 5-1 victory against Durham on Wednesday in the Women's League Cup group stage,” she said.
The result builds confidence as the team prepares for a key Women's Super League fixture. They host Liverpool at Leigh Sports Village on Saturday, a key match in their fixtures list as they aim to climb the table. This latest victory follows a 10-1 League Cup win over Sheffield United and a 2-1 league success against West Ham United.
The original report is at sports.yahoo.com
