Manchester City 1-1 Everton
By Freya Hiscott (20/04/25)
Above: Sara and Karen Holmgaard celebrate after linking up to equalise against Manchester City. Photo: Everton FC
Manchester City were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against a resilient Everton side at the Joie Stadium, as City’s injury-depleted squad struggled to assert themselves, making Champions League hopes look even slimmer.
Manchester City were dominating in possession, but it was a slow start for the blues with no notable chances being created. However, with several key players missing through injury, Kerolin Nicoli’s driving run down the wing helped create the chance for Dutch full-back Kerstin Casparij, whose strong performance was rewarded with the opening goal from close range into the bottom right corner.
Casparij celebrated by holding up a City shirt with Mary Fowler’s name on the back after the Australian international ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in last week’s FA Cup defeat by Manchester United.
Fowler is the lastest player to join Manchester City’s injury list alongside fellow forwards Vivianne Miedema, Lauren Hemp, Aoba Fujino and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw who are all currently ruled out.
With half time approaching Everton pushed to find an equaliser, and were rewarded with a goal as the Holmgaard twins linked up in the 33rd minute. Sara Holmgaard crossed the ball into the box, setting up the perfect header for her sister to send it home after keeper Khiara Keating had left her goal line and failed to collect, marking Karen’s first goal of the season.
Above: Casparij celebrating her opening goal. Photo: Manchester City Women on Instagram.
In the 66th minute the Danish twins looked to combine again, but Karen Holmgaard’s header went just inches over the crossbar.
Although still dominating in possession and their best efforts to regain control, City were unable to find a winner as they struggled to push through a strong Everton back-line.
The draw leaves Manchester City in fourth place with 36 points, increasing the gap separating them from third-placed Manchester United. This seven-point difference makes it challenging for City to qualify for the Champions league, as they would need to win all remaining matches and hope for United to lose theirs.
Lineups:
CITY (4-2-3-1): Keating, Casparij, Prior, Knaak, Ouahabi, Aleixandri (Captain), Hasegawa, Coombs, Park, Murphy, Kerolin Nicoli
Scorer: Casparij (13′)
Substitutes: Annets, Yamashita, Startup, Layzell (62′), Weinroither (73′), Oyama, Thomas, Lewis, Davies
EVERTON (4-4-2): Ramsey, Fernandez, Hayashi, Wheeler (Captain), Vanhaevermaet, T.Payne, S.Holmgaard, Snoeijs, Madsen, Stenevik, K.Holmgaard
Scorer: K.Holmgaard (33′)
Substitutes: Brosnan, Hobson (67′), Lawley (59′), Ladd, Watson, Sarri (67′), Weir, Thomas, Olesen (46′)
Referee: Phoebe Cross
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