Lucia Garcia of Manchester United won the Women’s Super League title on the final day of the season with a stunning stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 derby triumph over Manchester City on Sunday.
Following a 2-0 win against Arsenal earlier in the day, United needed to defeat their local rivals to prevent Chelsea from clinching a fourth consecutive English women’s title.
Despite the fact that City were short a player for more than half the game when goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck was sent off, United held on late to earn their first WSL victory against their local rivals.
Chelsea are two points clear at the top of the standings after winning the Women’s FA Cup final against Manchester United at Wembley.
But should United win away to Liverpool on Saturday and Chelsea lose at bottom-of-the-table Reading, it will be the Red Devils celebrating the title.
“We have one more game to win,” United manager Marc Skinner told Sky Sports.
“Yes we have already made history, broken records, gone to our first Cup final, qualified for the Champions League, but if you settle at that then I am not doing my players the service they deserve.”
Hayley Ladd’s spectacular 20-yard strike put United up in less than two minutes of Sunday’s derby.
And, shortly before halftime, Roebuck was sent out for a dangerous challenge on Nikita Parris, giving United even more hope of a first WSL derby league triumph.
But, because United failed to clear a corner, City’s Filippa Angeldahl was able to send in a looping cross that somehow found its way into the net in the 68th minute.
United’s title challenge appeared to be over until Garcia’s clever finish from Vilde Boe Risa’s knockdown in the 91st minute left them in contention.
