The Citizens take all three points in Berkshire.
Two own goals and a powerful header from Shaw was enough for City to claim all the points.
Reading started well with promising break in the opening five minutes, as Rowe won back possession and instantly looked to play Troelsgaard in. She managed to get a toe on the ball, but Morgan read the danger to clear for a corner. From the resulting corner, it was on the money for Vanhaevermaet at the back post, but she couldn’t quite keep her header on target.
Reading made a good account of themselves in the opening 15 minutes, both in and out of possession, that despite City seeing most of the ball, Vanhaevermaet’s early header remained the best chance of the game.
City’s best chance came in the 17th minute when Hemp and Coombs combined on the edge of Reading’s box. Hemp found space, and laid it off to Coombs whose first time effort sailed high and wide.
Spaces were beginning to emerge for City, Castellanos intercepted a forward pass by Royals and sprung on the attack. Hemp peeled off towards the left wing, and quickly got a shot away but couldn’t keep it down.
With half an hour on the clock, Reading managed to work some space in behind. Troelsgaard had time to pick out a pass, and she delivered a well-executed cross to the back post, but the visitors managed to get between the ball and goal in the nick of time.
City raised the intensity in the final five minute before half-time, as Hemp did well once again to skip inside and pick out Shaw. Caldwell & Evans reacted quickly to get across, and deflect the shot wide. A dangerous corner was whipped in, and Reading stood strong to block a number of good chances for Manchester City and eventually win a goal kick.
The best chance of the half fell in the way of the visitors, right at the end of the first half. The ball fell fortunately for Raso in the box, who composed herself before aiming her shot in the bottom corner, but Burns did well to position herself, read the danger and pounce on the ball.
One final chance before the break, as Hemp won a freekick 25 yards out from goal. It was the English winger who took the freekick as she looked for Shaw back post, who met the header but it sailed over.
Half-time: Reading 0 – 0 Manchester City
Manchester City continued their intensity that they finished the first half with, with Hemp seeing most of the ball for the visitors. She created the first chance, with a weaving run through the Reading defence, but connected with her shot too well as it went straight at Burns.
Another City attack moments later, this time through Castellanos who had time on the edge of the box to work a shot, but couldn’t keep the effort on target.
The eventual pressure paid off for City, with another driving run from Hemp inside the first ten minutes of thr second half. A dangerous ball fizzed across the face of goal, and Mukandi with pressure behind her had to get a touch, but unfortunately directed the ball goalwards.
Seven minutes later, City had a second and it was a repeat of their first, with Hemp causing problems on the City left and her powerful ball across the box hit Mukandi, but before she could reposition her body the ball was in the back of the net.
A quick-fire double for the visitors made Chambers turn to her bench, as Primmer and Cooper coming on. A special milestone for Cooper, who was making her 50th appearance for the Royals.
Reading proved they were down, but not out, as Rowe produced a fine strike for the edge of the box which tested the City keeper who had to settle for giving away a corner. It was a succession of corners for Reading, as they looked to pull one goal back. It took three corners for City to eventually clear, but Mukandi did well to keep the ball alive and pick out Rowe on on the left, and an instinctive looping shot from range came so close and landed on the roof of the net.
Just as Reading were looking to find a way back into the game, City quickly countered and got their third. Once again it started with Hemp with a darting run, she found the overlapping run of Cooper who picked out Shaw in the six yard box and powerfully headed home.
Reading had the final chance of the game from a freekick just inside Manchester City’s half. Mukandi floated the ball in, Evans’ knock down found Eikeland but couldn’t keep her volley down.
This was the final action of the game as Manchester City took all three points.
Reading: Burns (GK), Bryson (Cooper 65’), Mukandi ©, Evans, Wellings, Eikeland, Caldwell, Rowe, Vanhaevermaet (Primmer 61’), Woodham (Wade 87’), Troelsgaard (Dowie 87’)
Unused Subs: Poulter, Jane, Meadows Tuson
Yellow: Vanhaevermaet (11’)
Manchester City: Maciver, Casparij, Stokes, Aleixandri (Greenwood 67’), Coombs (Fowler 67’), Castellanos, Hemp (Blakstad 80’), Raso (Kelly 61’), Morgan, Shaw, Hasegawa
Unused Subs: Roebuck (GK), Houghton, Angeldahl, Ouahabi, Hutchings
Goals: Mukandi (OG) (52’, 59’), Shaw (76’)