CAFC Women

London City Lionesses inflicted Charlton Athletic’s first Women’s Championship defeat of the season with a 2-0 win on Sunday at Hayes Lane.

Isobel Goodwin and Sofia Jakobsson scored the goals for the Pride against their London rivals as they moved up to second spot in the league, level on points with the Addicks and top of the table Birmingham City.

Beth Roe hit the crossbar with a curling shot in the first 30 seconds for the Addicks then Melisa Filis’ low shot a couple of minutes later was easily claimed by Emily Orman. 

London City’s first opportunity came in the 7th minute when Goodwin headed over a corner.

Filis forced Orman into making a save in the 10th minute before the hosts broke quickly but the attack finished with Sophie Whitehouse catching a cross.  Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah then headed over a corner for the Pride.

Goodwin couldn’t control the ball in front of goal before Boye-Hlorkah fired over as the home side had the next chances in the 16th minute.  Goodwin then saw her shot deflected into the keepers hands.

Karin Muya’s low shot went across goal and wide as the visitors had the next opportunity in the 19th minute.

Jakobsson saw an effort blocked for London City following a corner as the chances kept on coming.

Filis shot from just outside the area went wide for the Addicks in the 26th minute.  At the other end, Boye-Hlorkah was unable to get on the end of Kosovare Asllani’s cross.

Two minutes later, Jodie Hutton got forward on the left-hand side and sent a dipping effort narrowly over for the away side.

A succession of corners from the hosts in the 36th minute caused Charlton problems with the ball eventually going over off the crossbar for a goal kick.

Whitehouse made a tremendous save in first half stoppage time to tip over Asllani’s 25-yard effort as the hosts went close to going ahead before the break.

Asllani had the first chance of the second half in the first minute of it but fired over for the Pride before Hutton missed the target for the Addicks in the 50th minute.

London City Lionesses took the lead in this London derby in the 54th minute when Jakobsson won the ball in Charlton’s penalty area and her cross was headed into the net by Goodwin from 6-yards.

Three minutes later, Hutton shot over for the visitors from outside the area whilst Asllani did the same at the other end in the 59th minute.

Emma Mukandi made a great tackle in the area to stop Muya getting a shot away as the Addicks looked for an equaliser.  Orman then denied Atlanta Primus from close range.

Whitehouse got down to save Boye-Hlorkah 25-yard shot in the 65th minute.  Goodwin then volleyed over from the edge of the area at the midpoint of the second half for the home side.

In the 73rd minute, London City doubled their lead when they attacked quickly and Asllani’s lovely through ball found Jakobsson who finished past Whitehouse.

Two minutes later, Roe’s dipping effort from the right-hand side had to be pushed over by Orman.  Princess Ademiluyi put the Addicks next opportunity well over then Filis saw her free kick saved in the 89th minute.

Katie Bradley had a long-range shot saved for the visitors in the first minute of stoppage time before the hosts broke quickly again but this time the attack came to nothing. 

The win sees London City continue their unbeaten home start to the season whilst the defeat sees Charlton lose away from home for the first time in 539 days in the league.

Line ups

London City Lionesses (4-2-3-1): Orman, Wilde (Neville 77’), Goldie, Henson, Mukandi, Meyong, Brougham, Jakobsson (Fitzgerald 77’), Asllani (c) (Mengyu 90’+3), Boye-Hlorkah (Imuran 84’), Goodwin

Unused substitutes: Moloney, Scofield, Marashi, Brown

Goals – Goodwin 54’, Jakobsson 73’

Booked – Jakobsson, Asllani, Fitzgerald

Charlton Athletic (3-4-3): Whitehouse, Skeels (c), N’Dow, Newsham, Roe (O’Rourke 81’), Bashford (Ademiluyi 68’), Primus (Bradley 81’), Hutton, Muya, Barton (Humphrey 84’), Filis

Unused substitutes: Gray, Pearse, Siber

Booked – Hutton, Muya

Referee – Lauren Whiteman

Attendance – 1,239