Aston Villa 4-3 Manchester City

Aston Villa Women beat Manchester City 4-3 in their season opener at Villa Park on Sunday.

Rachel Daly scored a brace while Alisha Lehmann and Kenza Dali also notched as Villa put on a scintalliting display at B6.

Carla Ward’s first starting XI of the season involved debuts for four players.

Dan Turner partnered Anna Patten in the centre of defence, while her former Everton teammate Dali started in midfield.

Kirsty Hanson and Daly made up two of the front three alongside Lehmann.

Villa looked well organized from the outset, an approach will then allowed the attacking players to put City on the back foot in transition.

The game was fairly balanced until Villa struck on 22 minutes.

Daly robbed City of possession in the final third, and the ball fell to Lehmann who bared down on goal before finding the bottom corner from just inside the area.

Villa Park was delirious in seeing a first goal scored by Villa Women at B6 since 2019.

The delirium didn’t stop there, though.

10 minutes later, Daly notched her first goal in Villa colours.

The England international turned and struck the ball in one motion, finding the top corner from just inside the area to give Ward’s side a two-goal cushion.

Villa were set to go into the break in complete control, but City found a way back into the game in stoppage time.

Laura Coombs unleashed an effort from the edge of the box that Hannah Hampton could only parry into the net to give City a lifeline.

City took that lifeline with both hands, as they score two goals in as many minutes to take the lead.

First, Bunny Shaw nodded into the bottom corner to get City back on level terms, before Coombs doubled her tally with an outstanding half-volley to truly turn the game on its head.

Villa continued to battle and scored a sixth goal of the game when Kenza Dali let fly from range, finding the back of the net via a deflection.

The game, to the eyes of many, looked to be heading to a draw until Daly popped up to tap home from close range after Ellie Roebuck parried a shot into her path.

Villa survived seven minutes of stoppage time to cue Hi Ho Silver Lining on full-time as Carla Ward and co. got 2022/23 off to a perfect start.