Terland's late strike ends Manchester City's perfect WSL start in derby draw
At long last, a weakness has been spotted. Manchester City's 100% winning start to the 2026/27 Women's Super League is over, and it was Manchester United who delivered the blow — Elisabeth Terland striking late to earn a 1-1 draw in a well-contested and at times breathless Manchester derby at Progress with Unity Stadium. For the first time this term, City failed to win, and the result breathed fresh life and intrigue into the title race.
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw's second-half strike had appeared to have settled the game and kept the defending champions top of the table, and for long stretches it had looked like the same old story. But Eva Olid's ever-improving United side fought back and were good value for the point, which they eventually earned when Terland found the bottom corner after the ball fell to her in the penalty area. That late strike saw City drop to second — behind Chelsea on goal difference — after a run of seven wins from seven.
Shaw's landmark day ends in frustration
Shaw, last season's WSL Golden Boot winner, had given City the lead in the 66th minute on what was her 100th WSL appearance, lashing a ruthless, low strike with too much venom for Phallon Tullis-Joyce to react in time. She had been booed by the home fans after exchanging robust challenges with Maya Le Tissier in the first half, and ran across to celebrate in front of the travelling City supporters, many of whom were waving inflatable bananas in the air. She almost had a second moments later, whipping a close-range, rising shot just over the bar, and later glanced a header wide from a City corner.
For spells of the first half, City's fluid pass-and-move football, their speed down the left wing with Lauren Hemp and the technical prowess of Yui Hasegawa and Aoba Fujino in particular, made it feel as though there was only one likely outcome as the defending champions sought to assert their authority. Fujino fizzed an effort narrowly wide after a flicked ball from her Japan team-mate Hasegawa, and later Hemp touched an effort on to the roof of the net. Jess Park's powerful, driven shot clipped the top of the crossbar around the hour mark, after Yamashita had saved well from Terland one-on-one.
United show their mettle
United, though, proved a tough nut to crack and, against the run of play, created the better chances of the opening 45 minutes. They should have scored when Terland was unable to reset her feet and connect properly with Andrea Medina's cutback. The hosts also went close when Ella Toone's left-footed shot was saved and Park's dipping, swerving strike was also stopped by Ayaka Yamashita. Jade Rose's pace helped her impressively recover ground several times to halt Manchester United's attempted counterattacks.
United were markedly improved on last season's league meetings with their local rivals, both of which ended in 3-0 City victories. This time, Andrée Jeglertz's side were given a real test and, although they may feel they should have finished the game off earlier in the second period, few could argue that a draw was not a fair result. They spurned a glorious opportunity with fewer than 15 minutes remaining when Julia Zigiotti blazed over from inside the area.
But just when it looked as though the visitors were going to clinch a seventh straight league win, the hosts finally found a way through. Le Tissier's hopeful, high ball into the box — after a free-kick was taken short — was met by a defensive header from Shaw, but that only dropped as far as Terland, who lashed in first time to draw huge roars from the home fans and clenched fists in the United technical area.
Title race reopened
The defending champions now face a gruelling week. Next Sunday's trip to third-placed London City, after a midweek Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain, may be the trickiest of their campaign to date. As for United, this late goal felt like a pivotal moment for Olid, giving the club a lift. Her tenure began with chastening losses to London City and Chelsea, but this rally against their neighbours showed they are rapidly improving after a slow start — and while they remain well off the title pace, United will be very pleased with the way they caused problems for Jeglertz's team.