Two wins out of two for City in the Champions League
Glasgow City Glasgow City made it two wins out of two in the UEFA Women’s Champions League defeating FC Birkirkara from Malta 9-0. Sarah Crilly hit her first 
ever hat-trick in City colours along with goals from Suzanne Lappin, Ruesha Littlejohn, Ciara Barnes, Danica Dalziel, Suzanne Malone and Leanne Ross.
Going into the match as the lowest ranked team in the group it was always going to a difficult encounter for the Maltese and City were on the attack from the first whistle, but struggled to open the scoring despite creating many chances with Lappin going closest with a header against the bar in the opening period. The Scottish Champions remained patient and eventually took the lead on 20 minutes when Lappin fired a Lisa Robertson cross into the back of the net to give her side a deserved lead.
Less than 3 minutes later and City were 2-0 ahead. A Robertson cross was charged down by an arm and the referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped Ruesha Littlejohn who side footed past Janice Xuereb in the Birkirkara nets to score her first Champions League goal of 2013.
Xuereb pulled off a great save to deny Lappin before Ciara Barnes made it 3-0 on 37 minutes shooting into the roof of the net from a City corner.
A minute from the break Suzanne Malone got her first goal of the match with a side footed finish after a Lisa Robertson cross to put City 4-0 up at the interval.
City made 3 changes at the start of the second half with Danica Dalziel moving up front with Lee Alexander coming on to replace her in goals. Denise O’Sullivan and Leanne Ross also entered the field of play for Suzanne Lappin and Leanne Crichton.
It was a change of personnel but not a change in the pattern of the match as City continued to attack and press for more goals and were rewarded on 58 minutes when Sarah Crilly fired into the back of the net to make it 5-0.
Crilly was soon to net her 3rd European goal in only 2 matches as she finished off a Leanne Ross cross. Ross then tried her luck from distance but for the fourth time in the match City hit the woodwork with the keeper beaten. Ross was to be provider once more, this time feeding Dalziel who finished well to make it 7-0.
Ross herself quickly turned goalscorer and in turn netted her 12th European goal for Glasgow City equalling the current record held by former player Katharina Lindner, as she hit a neat finish past Xuereb.
Sarah Crilly then got her first ever hat-trick in Glasgow City colours with less than ten minutes remaining heading home another Leanne Ross cross.
Commenting on the match, City Head Coach Eddie Wolecki Black said, “The objective was achieved. Six points out of six now puts us in a good position going into the last match against FC Twente. We have managed to utilise the whole squad and therefore everyone should feel a part of anything we may go on to achieve. We now have the chance to get the players rested before what I believe will be the crucial match in the group.”
City’s win now sets up a nail biting encounter with FC Twente on Tuesday, with a winners takes all match on the table for two of the best sides in the Qualification Round. City will play Twente at the main FC Twente stadium - De Grolsh Veste Stadium Enschede – on Tuesday, kick off 5pm CET / 4pm GMT.
Pictures by Mirko Kappes. Top to bottom: Sue Lappin opens the scoring, Lisa Robertson in action, Sarah Crilly scores, Leanne Ross scores.
10.08.13
