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The Pride played at Hayes Lane for the first time in 2025 against Sunderland, wrapping up a 2-0 victory with a composed and clinical performance.
Goals courtesy of Isobel Goodwin and Kosovare Asllani earned London City Lionesses three points in the Women’s Championship on Sunday 16th February.
Jocelyn Prêcheur’s side returned to BR2 in style, getting the job done early, heading into the half-time break with a two-goal cushion in the cold.
The London side asserted themselves on the fixture from the first whistle and created a lot of chances in the early knockings. Goodwin came close to a Sofia Jakobsson cross in the fifth minute, and the Swedish winger had an attempt herself in the ninth minute, but it looped over the target.
It took just 14 minutes for the England U23’s forward to take flight and steer a thumping header beyond the goalkeeper.
Saki Kumagai was brought down in the Sunderland box in the 25th minute, but the ref waved away huge appeals from the hosts.
London City continued to put the Black Cats to the sword, with Goodwin almost nestling a low shot underneath the goalkeeper from a Cerys Brown cross in minute 28.
Saki Kumagai was then fouled again in the Sunderland penalty box, with the ref wasting no time in pointing to the spot.
Just after the half an hour mark, Kosovare Asllani doubled the Pride’s lead, coolly rolling the ball into the bottom-right corner, illustrating ice-cold composure in front of a Glyn Beverly stand silent in anticipation.
The Pride resumed the second half with the same swagger the finished the first half with. With 57 minutes on the clock, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah let fly with a low effort which was just tipped around the post by the goalkeeper.
London City professionally closed the game out, with Jocelyn Prêcheur bringing on experienced midfielder Julia Roddar on her birthday and handing a debut to Spanish World Cup winner María Pérez in the second half to help secure the three points.
London City Lionesses have now won four out of their last four league outings and haven’t conceded in over 270 minutes in the league.
Jocelyn Prêcheur was quick to praise his team: “I am satisfied that my players were very disciplined today.
“They all followed the game plan; they were very serious about their organisation.
“It was a good first half where we scored twice, and although we didn’t score in the second half; we were strong defensively and kept a clean sheet.”
He also praised Pérez on her debut: “You can’t imagine how long she has waited to come back, she was very unlucky when she arrived (with the injury).
“She’s a great player; she works so hard in the gym to get herself ready.
“It was not an easy game to come into today, but she did well, and she will for sure settle into the team and become a great asset for us.”
London City are back on the road after the international break, travelling to Charlton on the 2nd March.
We are next in action at Hayes Lane a month from today, on the 16th March, as we take on Blackburn Rovers.
We hope to see you there, as we will need all the support we can to get us over the line at the end of the season.
Who was your POTM?
Goodwin
Kumagai
Asllani
Jakobsson
Teamsheet: Orman, Brown (Wilde 72’), Goldie, Campbell (Henson 85’), Imuran, Kumagai, Meyong (Roddar 85’), Asllani (Mengyu 51’), Jakobsson (Pérez 72’), Goodwin, Boye-Hlorkah.