Cardiff City 0-3 Swansea City: Champions begin title defence with Derby Day victory
CARDIFF, WALES - SEPTEMBER 27 2020: Stacey Lousie John-Davis of Swansea City scores and celebrates during the Cardiff City Ladies F.C v Swansea City Ladies F.C, Orchard Welsh Premier Womens League Fixture at USW Sports Park, Cardiff International Sports Stadium, Leckwith, Wales. (Pics by John Smith/FAW)
Swansea City Ladies began kicked off the 2020/21 Welsh Premier Women’s League with a 3-0 win over Cardiff City Women.
In a dominant performance the Champions took the lead with just a minute on the clock through Shaunna Jenkins’ brilliant volley, before Stacey John-Davies and Chloe Chivers put the game to bed in the second half.
The visitors got off to a flying start, winning a corner after John-Davies found space in the box and saw a shot blocked.
Fast start from Swansea
From the resulting corner, a loose clearance found right-back Jenkins, who swivelled and fired a looping volley up and over the helpless Charlotte Hastings.
Swansea threatened for a second just a few minutes later, when John-Davies saw a free-kick on the edge of the box held well by Hastings.
Cardiff were struggling to contain their opponents from set-pieces and on the quarter hour mark, Tija Richardson saw a diving header dribble just wide from close range.
After a poor first ten minutes, the Bluebirds controlled the next ten and Danielle Broadhurst should have done better, but fired too high on the edge of the box.
Cardiff woodwork shaken
However, John-Davies nearly doubled the Swans’ lead after cutting inside and heating a sweet shot that smashed the right-hand upright, which was incredibly unlucky for the striker.
Then, Cardiff really should have equalised. Alicia Powe’s short back-pass was intercepted by striker Catherine Walsh.
But from only a couple of yards out, she could not sort her feet out and stabbed the ball off the post, sparing the Swansea captain’s blushes.
In an action-packed first half, Swans hit the woodwork a second time after Katy Hosford’s stunning free-kick from 35-yards out crashed against the bar.
John-Davis nets deserved goal
A quiet start to the second half burst into life after an hour when Stacey John-Davies missed a great chance, before doubling her sides lead.
She was denied one-on-one by Hastings before racing through to finish low and smartly to give Swansea a comfortable lead.
Swansea pushed for a third with John-Davies losing out in a one-on-one with Hastings, before a goal-mouth scramble was just about defended by Cardiff.
The Bluebirds fell three behind moments later, with Chloe Chivers finishing smartly from close-range, as Swansea put their rivals out of sight.
John-Davies missed a great chance to make it four with 15 minutes remaining, half-volleying over from on the six-yard line.
Broadhurst looked for a Cardiff consolation but was flagged offside after sliding in to finish, although she was about a yard offside.
Another set piece almost added to the hosts’ misery but it was taken off the toes of John-Davies inside the area as the clock ticked down.
Goals: Jenkins 1′, John-Davies 60′, Chivers 75′
Cardiff City: Hastings, Owen, Daley, Walsh, Price (Timan, 59′); Pinchard, Underdown, Broadhurst, Green, Atkins (Jeremiah, 46′), Walsh (Norman, 85′).
Unused Subs: Chamberlain, Jones.
Swansea City: Lewis, Jenkins, Powe, Lake, Hughes; Richardson, K Adams, Beynon; Hosford, John Davies, Chivers (Sarah Adams, 79′).
Unused Subs: Davies, Jenkins, Border, Williams.
POTM: Chloe Chivers
See how Swansea City comfortably beat Cardiff City here:
(Featured Image: John Smith/FAW)
