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City came out firing after the restart, as the hosts dominated the opening stages of the second half, and came close to doubling their lead through the influential Hemp, who spurned a hat-trick of opportunities.

First, the England international slipped past Brynjarsdóttir on the right and unleashed a powerful effort, only to be denied by a stunning full-stretch save from Szemik, and then the ball dropped kindly for Hemp in acres of space eight yards from goal, but her effort was blazed over the bar.

Poland international goalkeeper Szemik was proving almost unbeatable, and she came to the Hammers’ rescue once again on 58 minutes. Hemp rose highest to meet a cross from the right just a few yards out, but was somehow denied as the Irons' No1 was alert and clawed it off the line.

Half-time substitute Seraina Piubel offered some respite for the visitors at the other end as her speculative effort was saved by Yamashita, but, in truth, it only seemed a matter of time before a second City goal came.

And the inevitable happened, 19 minutes from time, through Fowler. 

Substitute Khadija Shaw capitalised on a loose pass out from the back from Szemik and chipped to the back post where Fowler was already hanging in mid-air, suspended above her marker, and she was able to nod the ball back across goal to double the Citizens' lead.

City almost added a third late on when Ouahabi's effort from the edge of the penalty area cannoned off the crossbar, before Aoba Fujino whipped in a cross towards the back post, which slipped past everyone, finding Vivianne Miedema, who couldn’t convert from three yards out.

While the game ended in defeat, the Hammers fought hard and will look to regroup ahead of their upcoming away match against Everton on Sunday 13 October.

Manchester City: Yamashita, Aleixandri (Kennedy 78), Greenwood , Fowler, Kelly (Shaw 69), Roord (Miedema 46), Hemp (Fujino 70), Ouahabi (Layzell 78), Casparij, Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa
Subs not used: Keating (GK), Coombs, Thomas, Murphy

Goals: Hemp 10, Fowler 71

Booked: Kennedy

West Ham United: Szemik, Tysiak, Sáez, Zadorsky (Cooke 77), Denton, Gorry , Brynjarsdóttir (Paví 79), Mengwen, Harries (Piubel 46), Ueki, Asseyi (Siren 56)
Subs not used: M.Walsh (GK), Bergman Lundin, Houssein, Morrison

Booked: Cooke

 Referee: Elizabeth Simms