WSL Manchester City 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion: Highlights
Manchester City captain Alex Greenwood said "sometimes you have to win ugly" after her side narrowly beat Brighton & Hove Albion for their first Women's Super League victory of the season.
Khadija Shaw's first-half strike - a first domestic goal of the campaign for the Jamaican striker - was enough to seal the success, and followed their 2-2 draw at Arsenal on the opening weekend.
It was her 75th City goal in 86 appearances for the club since signing from Bordeaux in 2021.
While City dominated, they lacked quality in front of goal, scoring once, despite having an expected goals (xG) value of over three.
"We got the job done," Greenwood told BBC Two.
"Sometimes in this league you have to win ugly. I thought off the ball today we were better. Against Arsenal we struggled with that at times but we have worked really hard on that, and I thought we saw an improvement in that.
"This league is getting tougher and tougher ever year, and we saw that with Brighton, it was a tough game. We take the win and the clean sheet all day."
Roord return caps off positive day for Man City
City were also boosted as midfielder Jill Roord made her first appearance in eight months as a late substitute, having been sidelined since January when she ruptured her anterior cruciate knee ligament against Manchester United.
Gareth Taylor's side failed to break through Brighton early on and could only muster half chances through Lauren Hemp and Shaw.
Minutes before breaking the deadlock, Shaw could and should have scored when dancing around Maria Thórisdóttir and goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley, before Thórisdóttir's block prevented the City forward from slotting into an empty net. On the rebound, Jess Park could only steer her effort over.
Brighton did have chances of their own that they were made to rue in the first half. Fran Kirby, who joined the Seagulls from Chelsea in the summer, was unable to test City goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita from close range.
City struck following a break down the left side. Casparij's overlapping run was picked out by Greenwood, with the Dutch defender crossing low to find the run of Shaw, whose flick from close range was enough to take it past Baggaley.
Her strike, adding to the two she scored on Thursday against Paris FC in the Women's Champions League, set the tone for a dominant display from the hosts in the second half, but they failed to add to their goal tally.
Shaw, last season's WSL top scorer, twice came close, while Hemp and Mary Fowler, who replaced Shaw in the final 15 minutes, also dragged efforts wide.
With 10 minutes left, there was a great reception from City's supporters when club-record signing Roord replaced Netherlands compatriot Vivianne Miedema.
Brighton keeper Baggaley did keep the scoreline competitive late on, making two saves to deny Hemp and Park.
"Performance-wise, without the ball I thought we were excellent," City boss Taylor told BBC Two.
"Certainly some little bits of finishing to work on, but really pleased for the team because we worked tremendously hard.
"I have to say in the three games previous we've scored five, two and three so we've been there and sometimes you can get that if it needs to be 1-0, I’m happy."
The Seagulls, under new manager Dario Vidosic, managed just one shot in the second half, having been competitive during the opening 45 minutes.
"Disappointed but also encouraged," he added on BBC Two.
"There was some really good stuff that we have been working on and to be able to apply that against not just one of the best teams in England, but in the world, is encouraging.
"Some positive things, some things we have to learn from. Disappointed to lose but encouraged for what's ahead."
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