IT was a small slice of history, but not a winning one for Glasgow City.
IT was a small slice of history, but not a winning one for Glasgow City. The first women’s Champions League match to be held in Scotland saw the spoils shared, a result more suited to Valur with the second leg due to be played in Reykjavik next Thursday.
The packed stand at Petershill Park included Shona Robison, the sports minister, Campbell Ogilvie, president of the Scottish Football Association, and Stewart Regan, its chief executive.
But despite this show of solidarity from the sporting establishment, City could not build on a promising opening 30 minutes when they could have been three, or even four, goals ahead.
“It was encouraging that we made so many chances,” said Eddie Wolecki Black, the City manager. “But had it stayed at 1-0 it would have been even more pleasing. I still think we’ve got a chance of going through to the next round because with this group of girls we’re confident of going away and winning.”
There was a great atmosphere in the ground as the game got underway, and the healthy crowd nearly had a goal to celebrate with less than two minutes on the clock. A lovely through ball by Christie Murray put Lisa Evans through with only the goalkeeper to beat, but her shot was weak.
Yet it was early evidence that the tall Valur defenders might find it hard to turn quickly on the astroturf pitch, and so it proved. Emma Fernon had already fired a powerful shot just past the post when Evans got a second opportunity to score. This time she took advantage of Clare Gemmell’s ball in behind the defence and put City ahead after 16 minutes.
Almost unbelievably, Evans, playing on the left of a front three, was presented with yet another one-on-one with Meagan McCray two minutes later, but squandered the excellent opportunity.
It was an unexpectedly dominant opening 20 minutes from City against a side who regularly make the knock- out stages of the Champions League. McCray, one of two players from the United States in the Valur side, then had to make a terrific save to deny Jane Ross.
Evans was released behind the defence for a fourth time, this time by Eilish McSorley. Sadly, her finish was even weaker than the ones which had gone before.
The Icelandic side finally exerted the pressure that was expected of them, Holmfriour Magnusdottir thudding a ferocious free-kick onto the crossbar. City weren’t so fortunate when Valur were awarded an indirect free-kick in the City box 13 minutes into the second half. The ball was rolled to Mist Edvardsdottir and her shot was steered into the net by Laufey Olafsdottir.
The goal knocked some of the stuffing out of the home side, but although Valur finished strongly they couldn’t get a second and there is still all to play for in Iceland. Unfortunately for City, they will be without captain Rachel Corsie, who picked up a booking and will be banned.
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