Perth International Football Cup: Manchester City beat Leicester City on penalties to book spot in final

Manchester City have outlasted Leicester City in the opening game of Perth International Football Cup, prevailing 4-3 on penalties to book their spot in Sunday’s final.

The stars came out for City’s first game in Perth — but not until the second-half, with coach Gareth Taylor opting to start Matildas Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy, WSL golden boot winner Bunny Shaw and prized signing Vivianne Miedema on the bench.

Amid the rain, the crowd did not let the elements dampen their enthusiasm as they cheered Kennedy’s introduction, raised the volume for Fowler and Shaw, while Miedema – the all-time leading scorer in the WSL – received arguably the loudest response of all.

With the game locked at 0-0 after 90 minutes, the game went to penalties to decide who would book their spot in Sunday’s final, where Ayaka Yamashita saved two spot-kicks before Miedema kept her cool to decide the game.

It felt like a pre-season game early doors, as both teams spent the opening exchanges feeling the other out, playing conservatively and not risking much.

Leicester, who were without Australian defender Courtney Nevin, found it hard to escape their own half at times, but when they did evade City’s defensive structures, they found space on the right wing, with Jutta Rantala a willing outlet.

For City, Chloe Kelly was their own focal point on the right wing, the Englishwoman looming as a threat while her compatriot Lauren Hemp’s energy on the left was welcome.

Even though Leicester had less possession and territory, they actually enjoyed the best chance of the opening half, with a powerful run by Noemie Mouchon — impressive throughout — ending in a Saori Takarada shot on target.

Mouchon was again at the centre of Leicester’s best moments, combining well with Rantala and getting on the end of her cut-back to force Yamashita into a save.

City rang the changes in the second-half, with Kennedy coming on at half-time and a swell of substitutes – including Fowler, Miedema and Bunny Shaw – following suit mid-way through the half.

Fowler almost had the crowd on their feet with 15 minutes to go as she drove inside after a well-worked City move, only to see her long-range effort well-saved by Lize Kop.

City applied the pressure late as a Miedema header crashed off the bar before Shaw was thwarted by Kop not long after, and then Fowler sent Miedema through on goal and the Dutch forward looked to be fouled, but her penalty appeals were waved away.

And so, the game went to penalties, where City held their nerve, Yamashita saving from both Sophie Howard and Yuka Momiki before Meidema decided matters with the decisive spot-kick.