City open World Sevens with Rosengard victory | OneFootball

Manchester City began our World Sevens Football tournament campaign with a breathless 4-0 win over Rosengard.

In what was the opening match at the inaugural seven-a-side competition, Nick Cushing’s team seamlessly adapted to the format to collect a point in a picturesque and sun-soaked Estoril, Lisbon.

The Blues started fast and broke the deadlock inside the second minute when Aoba Fujino allowed the ball to roll across her body on the edge of the box before drilling low into the bottom corner with her left foot.

It didn’t take long for us to extend our advantage when the Japan international turned provider by playing a corner into the feet of Kerolin Nicoli who then cut onto her left and curled past Eartha Cumings.

The format of the tournament means offsides are legal and the Brazil international’s movement continually caused Rosengard problems as she forced their Scottish goalkeeper into making two smart saves in quick succession.

Ahead of the five-minute interval, the Swedish side grew into proceedings but City did well to maintain our clean sheet heading into half-time.

But Rosengard carried their momentum past the break with Khiara Keating called into action when thwarting Emma Jansson's stinging drive.

Kerolin Nicoli made them rue the missed chance when she weaved into the opposition box immediately and dispatched expertly for our third.

It was a deserved lead for Cushing's team and Poppy Pritchard came close to furthering our advantage when she spun a defender on the edge of the area before cannoning an effort off the crossbar.

Our fourth did arrive soon after though and Aemu Oyama delivered it with a neat piece of skill to skip past her marker and beat Cumings with a precise effort.

That represented our last of the afternoon in Portugal as we collected a well-earned win ahead of our double header against Ajax and Bayern Munich on Thursday.

HOW WE LINED UP

Khiara Keating's goal was protected by a defensive partnership of Gracie Prior and Laura Wienroither.

City then deployed a midfield three of Laura Coombs in the centre, Aoba Fujino on the right and Jess Park on the left.

Kerolin Nicoli then led the line through the middle and we used rolling substitutes throughout.

City: Keating, Prior, Wienroither, Coombs, Fujino, Park, Kerolin Nicoli.

Substitutes: Annets, Layzell, Pritchard, Blindkilde Brown, Oyama, Thomas, Murphy.

WHAT IT MEANS

The victory means we have one point after our first Group One match.

WHAT'S NEXT

Next up for City is a double header with Ajax then Bayern Munich which will conclude our group assignments.

We lock horns with the Netherlands outfit on Thursday 22 May at 13:30 (UK) before facing the German team on the same day at 18:30 (UK).