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Glasgow City 0-0 Peamount United
(Glasgow win 6-5 on penalties)
Peamount United have been eliminated from the Champions League in agonizing fashion, losing 5-4 on penalties to Glasgow City after a battle performance that James O’Callaghan’s team can be proud of.
Both Áine O’Gorman and Jo Love missed penalties for their respective teams before defenseman Lauryn O’Callaghan saw his shot from the point save in sudden death, which meant that Glasgow advanced to the second qualifying round.
Peamount had a really encouraging start to play, putting Glasgow under intense pressure at every opportunity and creating chances as well.
Eleanor Ryan-Doyle had two first chances in the first five minutes. First, she took a corner kick from Becky Watkins with a quick touch before launching a shot on goal that was always going up and cleared the crossbar.
Moments later he was inside the goal thanks to a perfectly timed deep pass from his captain O’Gorman, but failed to hit the mark.
Glasgow City began to slowly grow in the game after the first few scares with Aoife Colvill closing in after eight minutes. McLauchlan landed a mocking cross for Colvill, who got a slight header off the ball, but not enough to upset Niamh Reid-Burke.
That first opportunity sent Glasgow up the intensity levels slightly with Sam Kerr and Lauren Wade testing in midfield as they looked to open up Peamount’s impressive defense. Wade almost did exactly that when he found Kirsty Howat in the box with a perfectly weighted free kick straight into the packed box. Howat landed a bunt on Wades’ cross, but slowly drifted away from the post.
The first real test for Reid-Burke came with 25 minutes left as striker Howat drove towards goal before unleashing a shot that the Peamount goalkeeper easily picked up.
Peamount, to his credit, went head-to-head with the Glasgow players in all areas of the pitch and made things uncomfortable for the locals. Although Glasgow enjoyed the ball a lot in the first half, their final product in front of goal really let them down with Reid-Burke enjoying a quiet enough 45 minutes.
Howat and Kerr had more chances towards the end of the first half, but two perfectly timed tackles from Claire Walsh ensured the sides tied at the break.
Glasgow introduced Republic of Ireland international Tyler Toland for the start of the second half, although Clare Shine did not participate.
Howat started the second half just as he had finished the first, his powerful shot tipped around the post from a fantastic save again from Reid-Burke.
A cheeky free kick aimed at Aine O’Gorman’s goal almost caught Alexander at the near post, but he recovered well to save the feet of Watkins, who had followed the shot to the end.
Peamount midfielder Lucy McCartan slammed into Alexander’s palms with a powerful shot from a distance, but as the game entered the final ten minutes, Glasgow substitute Mairead Fulton nearly broke the deadlock for the hosts. Colvill played a ball perfectly in his way, but Reid-Burke quickly stepped out of line to cut it.
With seconds to go in injury time, Howat thought he had won it for Glasgow, but the impressive Reid-Burke stood tall again to send the game into extra time.
Peamount should have taken the lead in the first minute of overtime with another signature ping from McCartan’s distance getting the best of Alexander, who threw the ball over the bar to its full extent.
Fulton was once again close to opening the scoring with a speculative balloon, but Reid-Burke came back once again and the clock ticked to full time and penalties.
Peamount’s captain O’Gorman missed her team’s third penalty on the penalty shoot-out with a direct shot down the middle to Alexander before Reid-Burke made a fantastic save from Love’s shot to send the shootout to the sudden death.
Glasgow converted their next two penalties, but Lauryn O’Callaghan saw his shot saved by Alexander, and a relieved home team went into the next round by the smaller margin.
When the dust settles, Peamount will feel very confident in her performance against a thoroughly professional team after a performance that has made the National Women’s League proud.
City of Glasgow: Lee Alexander; Rachel McLauchlan, Leanne Ross, Jo Love, Zaneta Wyne; Lauren Wade (Mairead Fulton 71), Leanne Crichton, Sharon Wojcik, Sam Kerr (Megan Foley 95); Aoife Colvill, Kirsty Howat
Peamount United: Niamh Reid Burke; Dearbhaile Beirne (Sadhbh Doyle 85), Niamh Farrelly, Claire Walsh, Lauryn O’Callaghan; Alannah McEvoy, Lucy McCartan, Karen Duggan, Aine O’Gorman; Becky Watkins (Megan Lynch 73), Eleanor Ryan Doyle
Referee: Sabina bolic
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