Khadija Shaw gets going in England
Striker scores on league debut as Man City hammer Everton 4-0
Published:Sunday | September 5, 2021 | 12:08 AMDaniel Wheeler - Staff Reporter
Similar to how her career in France began with Bordeaux in 2019, national striker Khadija Shaw scored on her league debut, this time with Manchester City, as they defeated Everton 4-0 in their FA Women’s Super League (WSL) season opener yesterday at Goodison Park.
With last year’s league runners-up already leading 2-0 through strikes from Vicky Losada in the 26th minute and Janine Beckie in 36th minute, Shaw announced her arrival to the WSL two minutes later when she tapped home from close range from a low cross from teammate Hayley Raso. Raso was among the various players that got their league debuts under head coach Gareth Taylor.
Steph Houghton would wrap up the points in the 67th minute with a well-taken free kick that Everton goalkeeper Alexandra Elena Maclver could only watch sail into the top corner. Shaw would go 65 minutes before being replaced by English international Ellen White.
Shaw’s start to league play mirrored how she began at Bordeaux in that 2019-2020 campaign, scoring and also winning her league debut, a 4-1 triumph over Fleury 91 on August 24, 2019. She would score a brace in that game and would go on to score 10 goals that season.
CONFIDENCE BOOSTER
With Shaw now off the mark in England, Taylor says that her opening goal will be a confidence booster for her as she continues to settle into the rigours of the English top flight.
“As a former striker, I know what it’s like, you want to get off on a good start. I saw a difference in her game after that - her confidence and hold up play was a lot better,” Taylor told the club’s website. “We know it’s in her, she’s capable. She wanted a good start but we were happy to be patient. It was an excellent pass to set up and then it was a nice easy finish.”
Taylor also praised the professionalism of the team which, despite what the scoreline suggested, had to contend with moments of pressure from Everton.
Shaw was making her second appearance for the club since signing her three-year deal in June, as she made her full club debut on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League second-round tie against Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, national goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer was an used substitute as Tottenham Hotspur defeated Birmingham City 1-0 in their season opener, thanks to a 40th-minute strike from Kit Graham.
Manchester City and Tottenham will face each other in their next league fixture on September 12.
Reggae Girl Drew Spence, another member of the England-based contingent, will be in action today for defending champions Chelsea, as they face their North London rivals Arsenal at 6:30 a.m (Jamaica time) at the Emirates.