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- (Image: Matthew Lofthouse)
(Images: Matthew Lofthouse)
League Cup finalists Cyncoed Ladies continued their impressive form by recording a three-nil victory over Cardiff City Women at Leckwith Stadium on Sunday.
Cardiff City Women aced a stern test this Sunday, as they welcomed Cyncoed Ladies in a 3rd v 5th matchup. Victory for the away side would take them to within a point of their opposition, as they looked to mount the pressure and push for a top-three spot within the league.
The game began with neither side looking to state their intent and take control, as the matchup turned into a slugfest and a battle between two midfield whom at first refused to budge.
As a result, the first chance didn’t appear until the 14th minute, when a Cardiff City Women free kick from 20 yards out was curled over the bar by the league’s top goal scorer Shannon Evans, who looked to grab a goal on her Birthday.
In a half of few chances for either side, Cyncoed Ladies took advantage in the 28th minute when superb play down the right wing from Athina Varnava freed up space, allowing her to float a perfect cross onto the waiting head of Julia Moulton.
(Image: Matthew Lofthouse)
Moulton flicked the ball to the right side of stopper Ceryn Chamberlain who’s outstretched hands could only nudge the ball into the net to the despair of the home side.
The restart only saw more of the same from either side, however, Cardiff began to grow into the game towards the end of the half.
A flurry of late chances began with a speculative effort from 20 yards out by Shannon Evans, who watched in agony as her effort whizzed past the post much to the relief of Cynoced Ladies keeper Laura O’Sullivan.
Only a moment later Cardiff were in again as Kanisha Underdawn slipped a ball through to Shannon Evans, whose effort was scuffed and fell easily into the grasp of the Cyncoed Ladies stopper, ultimately bringing the half to a close.
The second half saw a much hungrier Cyncoed Ladies team, as they started the period with several chances, pressing Cardiff City Women and regaining possession much higher up the field.
The change paid off, as six minutes after the restart Cardiff cheaply gave the ball away in the final third, and after some confusion, the ball fell to the feet of Moulton once more, whose first-time effort sank into the bottom left corner of the net to double the visitors’ advantage.
Cardiff escaped a third when in the 61st minute, Caitlin Bevan’s effort seemed to be a certain goal, but striker Shannon Evans tracked back and cleared the ball off the line, keeping any hopes of a comeback alive for her side.
(Image: Matthew Lofthouse)
The main chance for Cardiff in the game came only three minutes later, as Evans created space for herself down the wing beating two players and slotting a teasing cross into the six-yard area, only for stopper Laura O’Sullivan to quickly get down and prevent the ball from finding an opposing player.
Cyncoed Ladies continued to push for a third and found an answer in the 78th minute as Julia Moulton was able to grab her third goal of the day and seal the three points for the visiting side.
The game saw few chances from then on, as Cardiff City Women held firm in a stalemate to play out the result as the opposition came away from the encounter victorious.
(Featured Image: Matthew Lofthouse)
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