Man City vs Manchester United: Caroline Weir wondergoal lights up record day for women’s game

From the pre-match billing, you might have thought this was the first ever women’s Manchester derby. In fact, City and United were meeting for the 21st time in a rivalry that dates back the best part of 30 years. But it was their first of the Women’s Super League era and the first to be played in front of a crowd of anything like 31,213 people.

That attendance figure – nearly six times the previous WSL record – was greeted by almost as many cheers as the only goal of the game. Caroline Weir’s spectacular drive at the start of the second half broke United’s resolve and handed City all three points. The title contenders start with a win, their newly-promoted rivals can take hope from their display.

But for the women’s game at large, that record figure of 31,213 is the most significant takeaway from the day.

It is likely to be broken tomorrow, when Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur meet at Stamford Bridge and admission will be free. But every last one of the thousands in attendance here at the Etihad were paying customers, suggesting that the surge in interest since Women’s World Cup can be sustained.

The crowd were treated to a tight contest. United may be new at this level but Casey Stoney’s squad possesses enough talent to finish in the top-half and shaded the opening 45 minutes. After recovering from an early injury scare to goalkeeper Mary Earps, United found a rhythm which unsettled their well-fancied opponents.

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Leah Galton’s crossing posed particular problems, no more so than when she served the ball right at the feet of Jane Ross inside the six-yard box. Any kind of authoritative finish would have put United ahead but Ross’ timid poke was easily saved, pushed away one-handed by Ellie Roebuck.

That was the chance, you felt, even after new signing Jackie Groenen and Jess Sigsworth came close to converting another Galton delivery a few minutes later. City were surprisingly sub-par and were still struggling to shift through the gears as the half went on, but they had at least seen off United’s most dangerous attacking spell.

Weir’s goal, out of nothing, changed the dynamic of the game for good. It was a clean, pure strike by the Scotland international, still rising as it passed Earps’ hand and found the far corner, but it was equally impressive for her clever reading of the play which preceded it, intercepting a slack Katie Zelem pass out from the back.

City asserted themselves from thereon and were comfortable, save for a comical late United chance. Groenen, a World Cup runner-up with the Netherlands this summer, spoiled one brilliant burst through City’s ranks by tripping over her own feet. Aoife Mannion’s attempted clearance then rebounded off Groenen, hit the post and trickled into Roebuck’s arms.

It was a moment that could easily have turned this closely-contested derby on its head and an example of the drama we can expect to see on a weekly basis in an increasingly competitive division. The hope, now, is that many among the 31,213 who were here to witness it will return.