LIVERPOOL, England — Jamaican forward Khadija “Bunny” Shaw rose to the occasion once again, nodding home a decisive second-half winner to hand Manchester City a 2-1 victory over Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, sending the Sky Blues to the summit of the Women’s Super League (WSL).
The result marked City’s seventh consecutive win, propelling them to 21 points from eight matches, one clear of six-time defending champions Chelsea, who were held to a draw by Arsenal a day earlier.
City strike first, Everton hit back
City began brightly, asserting their rhythm and pressing with intent. Their early dominance was rewarded in the 21st minute when Vivianne Miedema coolly converted to give the visitors a deserved lead.
However, Everton grew in confidence and struck back just before halftime. In the 40th minute, Kelly Gago produced a moment of flair, cleverly flicking Toni Payne’s cross past a stranded Ayaka Yamashita, leaving the home crowd roaring in delight as the sides went into the break level.
Shaw’s header seals the points
After the restart, City regained their edge — and Shaw, ever the difference-maker, delivered the breakthrough. In the 55th minute, the Jamaican forward rose majestically above Rion Ishikawa to meet Leila Ouahabi’s precise delivery, steering her header beyond Everton’s goalkeeper and restoring City’s lead.
The goal was Shaw’s fifth of the campaign, moving her level atop the WSL scoring charts and ending a three-match scoring drought. Her trademark celebration drew cheers from traveling City fans, who have grown accustomed to her game-winning instincts.
Everton fight hard but fall short
Despite falling behind again, Everton refused to wilt. Ornella Vignola came agonizingly close to equalizing when her long-range strike rattled the woodwork, while Yamashita was called into action to deny Hikaru Kitagawa with a brilliant save late on.
But City held firm through the final minutes to secure a hard-fought victory — one that underscored their growing title credentials and Shaw’s continued influence as the heartbeat of their attack.
Shaw’s leadership shines bright
Though she didn’t speak after the match, Shaw’s performance once again illustrated her blend of power, composure, and leadership — qualities that have cemented her place among the league’s elite forwards. For Manchester City, her return to scoring form comes at the perfect time as they continue their push for a first league crown since 2016.
