UEFA Ladies’s Champions League
Juventus 0 – 1 Manchester United FT
Jess Park joined Manchester United from Manchester Metropolis this summer season [Getty Images]
Manchester United secured a seeded spot within the draw for the Ladies’s Champions League knockout section play-offs with victory over Juventus.
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England worldwide Jess Park scored the sport’s solely objective, curling the ball into the far nook early within the first half at Allianz Area in Turin.
Marc Skinner’s aspect, taking part in within the league section for the primary time, accomplished it with 4 wins from six matches.
They are often happy with that achievement – rounded off with a hard-earned victory in Italy in opposition to an in-form Juventus aspect.
A robust first half put United in management and so they had been unlucky to not lengthen their lead with efforts from Park and Melvine Malard deflected extensive or saved.
Juventus tried to capitalise on United’s lack of squad depth within the second half because the guests drained – however one of the best alternative got here by way of Amalie Vangsgaard early on.
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Striker Terland was additionally left questioning why she had not been awarded a penalty when she was introduced down by Juventus captain Cecilia Salvai late on.
Either side miss out on computerized qualification for the quarter-finals, achieved by the highest 4 of the 18 groups competing, however will undergo to the two-legged play-off spherical.
The draw takes place on Thursday at 12:00 GMT with United set to face both OH Leuven or Atletico Madrid. The play-offs are on 11-12 February and 18-19 February.
Man Utd evaluation: Park leads robust show
Having already secured a spot within the high 12, United’s purpose was to interrupt into the highest 4 or guarantee they’d a seeded draw for the two-legged play-offs, which might give them a house tie first.
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That they had upset in opposition to eight-time champions Lyon per week earlier than, dropping 3-0, and needed to come from three objectives down to attract 3-3 with Tottenham within the Ladies’s Tremendous League final Sunday.
It was clear United had been eager to keep away from related bother this time round and had been fast out of the blocks, profitable a number of set-pieces earlier than Park’s glorious strike bent into the highest proper nook.
Skinner’s aspect performed with the depth needed in opposition to Juventus, who had began the night in third place within the desk.
On the coronary heart of it was England worldwide Park – a summer season signing from Manchester Metropolis with prior Champions League expertise – and she or he was a continuing risk for Juventus’ backline.
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She had a number of photographs that had been deflected extensive and a breakaway which she could not benefit from within the first half, however performed her function properly earlier than coming off within the 72nd minute.
Dominique Janssen was additionally a strong alternative at right-back for the injured Jayde Riviere and was not afraid to push up when United had been on the assault.
General, it was a satisfying show to finish a busy interval for Skinner, who has needed to rotate his small squad, to which he hopes so as to add depth in January’s switch window.
United have achieved their ambitions of reaching the subsequent section of their debut season of the competitors and in Skinner’s phrases, anything is “a bonus”.
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What’s subsequent for each groups?
Juventus journey to Cesena on Sunday, 21 December (13:30 GMT) for his or her subsequent match within the final 16 of the Italian Ladies’s Cup.
With the WSL already on its winter break, United even have only one extra sport in 2025 which is Sunday’s Ladies’s League Cup quarter-final tie in opposition to Tottenham (13:00 GMT).