England internationals Steph Houghton and Toni Duggan were the difference as Manchester City edged a nail-biting FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup clash at Sunderland.
First-half goals from Nikita Parris and skipper Houghton set the Citizens on their way, and despite Gemma Wilson reducing the deficit Sunderland could not find an all-important equaliser, before Duggan smashed home an added-time penalty.
City started strongly, and could have led when Parris saw her low shot hacked off the line by Victoria Williams in the opening stages.
Sunderland 1-3 Man City
FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup
Group Two
Saturday 15 August
Hetton Centre
But Parris was on hand to slam the ball into the roof of the net on 10 minutes, when Isobel Christiansen’s effort was palmed away by Sunderland stopper Rachael Laws.
The hosts found themselves under even more pressure as former-Black Cat Houghton headed home Christiansen’s cross to double City’s lead less than five minutes later.
But Wilson nodded in Victoria Greenwell’s cross with 23 minutes gone to bring her side back into the contest, before Beth Mead missed a golden chance to equalise on the stroke of half-time, dragging her shot wide.
City took control after half-time, though Parris was denied a second by Laws after jinking through the defence, while Daphne Corboz flicked the ball just wide from a one-on-one just past the hour mark.
Duggan finally sealed the win with a late penalty after Wilson brought down Parris, as City maintained their 100 per cent start in the Continental Tyres Cup and held onto top spot in Group Two.
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Sunderland (4-5-1): Rachael Laws (C), Abby Holmes, Victoria Greenwell, Rachel Furness, Gemma Wilson, Beth Mead (Keira Ramshaw 62), Stephanie Roche, Sarah McFadden (Kelly McDougall 70), Brooke Chaplen, Victoria Williams, Emma Kelly.
Substitutes not used: Abbey Joice, Hilde Gunn Olsen, Stephanie Bannon.
Manchester City (4-3-3): Karen Bardsley, Lucy Bronze, Demi Stokes, Steph Houghton (C), Kathleen Radtke (Keira Walch 57), Jennifer Beattie, Jill Scott, Isobel Christiansen, Toni Duggan, Nikita Parris, Daphne Corboz (Krystal Johnson 81).
Substitutes not used: Alex Brooks, Georgia Brougham, Natasha Flint, Emma Lipman, Abbie McManus.
Attendance: 1,514
Referee: Billy Khatib
