Aston Villa 1-1 Man Utd (4-3 on pens)

Aston Villa Women continued their unbeaten start to the season with a shootout victory over Manchester United in the Conti Cup.

The score was 1-1 after 90 minutes, with Lionesses Nikita Parris and Rachel Daly converting from open play.

And with a bonus point left to play for, Villa prevailed from the penalty spot thanks to four saves from Anna Leat and a winning kick from Maz Pacheco.

Carla Ward made several changes from the side that edged past Leicester City last weekend.

Leat, signed from West Ham United in the summer, replaced Hannah Hampton between the sticks to make her debut.

Meanwhile, Olivia McLoughlin started in midfield with Rachel Corsie dropping into defence to replace the injured Anna Patten.

Emily Gielnik was rewarded for her strike against the Foxes, leading the line alongside Alisha Lehmann and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah.

September Player of the Month, Daly, formed a midfielder trio with McLoughlin and Kenza Dali.

Perhaps playing in a slightly deeper role favoured Daly, who rattled the crossbar inside the opening 10 minutes.

Gielnik won the ball high up the pitch before cutting the ball back from the left-hand side.

Daly ran onto it and wrapped her left foot around the ball, hitting the woodwork when the ball looked destined for the top corner.

United were the ones to break the deadlock, though.

Parris was given time and space outside the area to let fly and find the back of the net to give the Red Devils the lead inside 20 minutes.

Villa had enjoyed much of the ball before the opening goal, and that continued afterwards as Gielnik sent a glancing header just over the crossbar.

United responded in an end-to-end affair, with Adriana Leon sending a rasping effort just wide from a tight angle.

Ward didn’t waste any time in attempting to change the complexion of the game, brining on Laura Blindkilde Brown in place of Boye-Hlorkah at the break.

She soon had her sights on goal too, planting a close-range header wide of the post.

The teenager had an even better opportunity moments later, but her prodded effort clipped the outside of the post before Sophie Baggaley parried Gielnik’s follow-up attempt away from danger.

The game entered the closing stages, and just as it looked as though time may be running out for Villa they got themselves back on level terms.

Daly met a ball in from deep to divert past Baggaley and send the game to penalties.

The ensuing spot-kicks were eventful, with seven of them saved by both Leat and Baggaley.

But it was Villa who came out on top as they opened their Conti Cup campaign in fascinating fashion.