Mallard hits brace as Man United Women cruise past Leicester in dominant win
Manchester United Women began their Women’s Super League campaign with a 4-0 victory over Leicester City at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday afternoon.
Coach Marc Skinner handed summer signing Julia Zigiotti Olme her league debut, naming her in the starting line-up.
By contrast, fellow summer arrival Jess Park was among the substitutes, while Fridolina Rolfo was not named in the matchday squad.
Man United got off to a bright start as Ella Toone gave them the lead inside 13 minutes, heading Elisabeth Terland’s pinpoint cross home.
The in-form Terland grabbed United’s second goal in the 25th minute, heading Jayde Riviere’s cross beyond the reach of goalkeeper Janina Leitzig.
Hlin Eiriksdottir thought she had halved the deficit for Leicester in the 36th minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The away side could not build on the momentum that saw them score a disallowed goal, allowing United to keep their two-goal lead until the break.
Leicester made a substitution after the restart as Olivia McLoughlin replaced Shannon O’Brien but the change did little to stop United’s dominance.
In the 49th minute, a good link-up play between Sandberg and Melvine Mallard created an opening for Zigiotti Olme, whose shot went narrowly wide. Mallard then missed a big chance to score after Terland put her through on goal.
Leicester finally had the chance to test goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce as Emily van Egmond headed a ball towards goal, but the United States international saved her effort comfortably.
Mallard ended Leicester’s hope of staging a comeback, taking advantage of Leitzig’s poor judgement of Dominique Janssen’s cross to put the ball into the net on 73 minutes.
Three minutes before stoppage time, the French forward netted the game’s final goal with a shot from distance after the link-up play between Terland and Toone.
Man United will be in action again on Thursday, facing Norwegian side Brann in the Women’s Champions League third qualifying round.
Article written by Henry Thornton .