By Stephen Bark
Glasgow City saw off Kazak champions BIIK Shymkent at Broadwood Stadium to reach round two of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Priscila Chinchilla’s scored the only goal of the game to send the top seeds out in the round one final with a solo effort after 61 minutes.
There wasn’t much between the teams in the first half and it was the home side who created the first opportunity.
Chinchilla cut in from the left after three minutes and hit one from the edge of the box only for the ball to come crashing off the crossbar with the keeper beaten.
A cross then found Jo Love in the box but she couldn’t get the shot away before trying to set up Clare Shine. However, she also couldn’t get the shot away before the ball broke back to Love whose shot went just wide.
City did have the ball in the net in the first half when Chinchilla cut the ball back for Shine to smash home but the ball had cross the line and gone out of play before Chinchilla was able to get to it.
Shymkent’s best chances came after excellent work from Racheal Kundananji. Her driving run after 33 minutes saw her into a decent position but she couldn’t find the target.
Kundananji then turned provider as her ball across was blocked by Janine Van Wyk and fell nicely for Gulnara Gabelia whose effort was well saved by Lee Alexander.
Chinchilla had the last chance of the half when she cut in from the left again but her effort flew over this time.
City started the second half well and Julia Molin fed Shine but her effort was saved.
Just before the hour, a corner broke to Van Wyk whose shot rebounded off Love but it was blocked by the defender on the line.
Moments later though and the deadlock was broken. A slip at the back allowed Chinchilla to race through one-on-one with Madison Less and she made no mistake to slot the ball into the far corner.
Shymkent then had another chance through Kundananji whose first time effort flew wide of Alexander’s post.
With five minutes left, a cross was punched clear by Alexander and the alert Brooke Denesik fired a shot over the crossbar.
As time ticked down, City had the chance to seal the match when space opened up for Chinchilla. She looked to play through substitute Tyler Dodds but her shot was blocked.
The City defence stood firm to ensure the clean sheet and see out the match as they progressed to the second round.
Glasgow City will be seeded for the second round draw which takes place tomorrow at 12pm.
Glasgow City: Alexander, Love, Fulton, Shine, Clark, Davidson (Fulutudilu 64), Van Wyk, Farrelly (Dodds 81), Molin, Chinchilla, Foley. Subs not used: Clachers, Michie, Lauder, Walsh, Kats, Filipa, Colvill, Fisher, Noble, Bates.
BIIK Shymkent: Less, Rosette, Denesik, Rose, Gabelia, Kundananji, Skorynina (Babshuk 81), Muth, Ilić, Johnson, Chilufya. Subs not used: Zheleznyak, Kulmagambetova, Connell, Bortnikova, Zhumabaikyzy, Burova.