Perth International Football Cup: Paris Saint-Germain beat Manchester City in final, Leicester thrash West Ham

Paris Saint-Germain have prevailed over Manchester City in the final of the Perth International Football Cup, snatching a late winner to beat the Women’s Super League giants 1-0 at HBF Park. Matildas stars Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy lined up alongside Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp for a star-laden City line-up, but found themselves frustrated by a miserly PSG defence for large periods. City had plenty of possession, but high-quality chances were harder to conjure up, and the longer the game went on, the less likely it seemed a goal was coming. The game seemed like it was inevitably headed for penalties to decide the winner, but it turned out to be a penalty (singular) which proved the difference — Jennifer Echegini’s 88th minute spot-kick enough to seal victory for the Parisians. West Ham’s Australian midfielder Katrina Gorry was a notable absentee in the earlier third-placed play-off, and her teammates certainly missed her as Courtney Nevin’s Leicester put them to the sword 5-2. Their Matildas teammates Fowler and Kennedy had quiet games in the final; Fowler found herself on the game’s periphery but whipped the crowd into a frenzy every time she touched the ball, while Kennedy was alert despite her team’s dominance, making one excellent last-ditch challenge to prevent a good chance. City dominated possession, personifying ‘Pepball’ with inverted full-backs Kerstin Casparij and Laura Blindkilde Brown drifting up and in, overloading midfield and forcing PSG to sit deep with the odd counter-attack their only meaningful outlet. Unsurprisingly, PSG goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedzyrnek was the busier of the two custodians, pawing away Jess Park’s deflected attempt early, before reacting sharply to deny Fowler and Bunny Shaw from loose balls in the box. Despite the absence of Vivianne Miedema, City looked comfortable with Leila Ouahabi controlling the middle of the park, and they arguably should have had a penalty when Bunny Shaw looked to have been bundled over by Eva Gaetino. Already under the pump, PSG suffered a blow when Laurina Fazer suffered what looked to be a serious knee injury. But they did have the best chance of the opening 45, when Paulina Dudek stabbed wide from a corner in the shadows of half-time. After an intriguing first-half, the game slowed down after the break with chances at a premium; Echegini had PSG’s best sight on on goal when she hit the side-netting, before Kiedzyrnek once more denied Shaw up the other end. The difference came two minutes from time, when Tara Elimbi-Gilbert drew contact from Casparij in the box — replays suggested the City full-back caught her foot — and Echegini confidently converted the penalty. Chloe Kelly almost secured a stoppage-time equaliser, but her fizzing strike from the edge of the box whistled wide. In the earlier game, Leicester made light work of West Ham, as Noemie Mouchon picked up where she left off on Wednesday night, creating Yuka Momiki’s opener, before Missy Goodwin teed up Sam Tierney for an easy finish. Goodwin made it three before the break with a goal of her own before Mouchon added a fourth after Momiki’s fantasic clipped ball left her one-on-one with the ‘keeper. Saori Takarada’s perfect chip made it 5-0 for Leicester, before Vivianne Asseyi scored two late consolations for the Hammers.