Manchester City Women will be playing Champions League football for the first time next year after defeating Notts County 2-1 in their final FA WSL 1 game of the season.
Though Chelsea’s win against Sunderland confirmed City could not win the title, recent England debutant Isobel Christiansen struck to seal second place after Rachel Williams cancelled out Nikita Parris’s early opener.
Jill Scott saw a volley headed off the line by Sophie Walton on six minutes but City didn’t have to wait much longer for the opener.
Man City 2-1 Notts County
FA Women's Super League with BT Sport 1
Sunday 4 October
Academy Stadium
Natasha Harding pulled back for Parris on 13 minutes and the striker lifted the ball over Carly Telford.
Jess Clarke nearly pegged City back immediately, after beating Karen Bardsley to a long ball, but Lucy Bronze got back quickly to clear off the line.
The Lady Pies were level on 40 minutes, when Williams headed Danielle Buet’s cross in, but City responded well and were back in front on the stroke of half-time.
Welsh winger Harding was again the provider, picking out Christiansen on the edge of the box, whose thundering strike curled into the top corner.
Christiansen then headed against the bar on 82 minutes as City looked to seal victory, but they held on to secure second place in The FA Women’s Super League with BT Sport 1.
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Karen Bardsley; Lucy Bronze, Steph Houghton, Jennifer Beattie, Demi Stokes; Keira Walsh, Jill Scott; Natasha Harding, Isobel Christiansen, Daphne Corboz; Nikita Parris.
Substitutes: Natasha Flint for Parris 74, Kathleen Radtke for Beattie 78, Krystle Johnston for Corboz 87.
Substitutes not used: Alexandra MacIver, Emma Lipman, Abbie McManus, Georgia Brougham.
Goals: Parris 13, Christiansen 45
Bookings: Isobel Christiansen (87)
Notts County (5-3-2): Carly Telford; Sophie Walton, Laura Bassett, Fern Whelan, Amy Turner, Alex Greenwood; Danielle Buet, Desiree Scott, Leanne Chrichton; Jess Clarke, Rachel Williams.
Substitutes: Ellen White for F. Whelan 64, Aileen Whelan for Buet 78, Alice Hassall for Williams 84.
Substitutes not used: Siobhan Chamberlain, Ashleigh Plumptre, Laura Jayne O’Neill.
Goals: Williams 40
Bookings: Laura Bassett (65)
Referee: Rebecca Welch
Attendance: 3,186
