Manchester Metropolis took a “step ahead” of their European “journey” by beating Girls’s Champions League holders Barcelona 2-0, so says Gareth Taylor.

Metropolis ran out winners on Wednesday because of targets from Champions League debutant Naomi Layzell and Khadija Shaw at Joie Stadium.

Aitana Bonmati and Claudia Pina had been amongst these to go shut for Barca, however Metropolis held agency for a memorable win.

“It’s proper up there, undoubtedly,” mentioned Taylor of the efficiency from his facet, who’ve received two of their opening three Girls’s Tremendous League matches, too.

“The efficiency within the first half particularly was prime. We knew sooner or later we must climate the storm and we did that tremendously properly.

“I felt we may have been 3-0 or 4-0 up within the first half because of the alternatives we created and the stress we placed on them.”

Taylor was requested by DAZN if Metropolis may declare European glory this yr, and replied: “Sure.

“We now have taken a step ahead tonight. We’re super-honoured to be within the competitors and having fun with the journey.”

Nights like these on the Joie #ManCity | #UWCL pic.twitter.com/pSrff5bRax

— Manchester Metropolis Girls (@ManCityWomen) October 9, 2024

For Layzell, it was a Champions League bow to recollect.

“To do this, scoring and helping when she was enjoying out of place towards Barcelona, is unbelievable,” Taylor mentioned of the 20-year-old, who was signed from Bristol Metropolis in the summertime.

“It’s particular. I feel should you get to know Naomi then you’ll say it doesn’t shock you. She may be very humble and coachable. She’s enjoying in a non-favoured place at right-back as a result of she is a centre-back. She will probably be on cloud 9.”

Whereas Metropolis celebrated a well-known victory over European royalty, there was no such pleasure for Arsenal, who had been crushed 5-2 by Bayern Munich.

The match was within the stability at 2-2 till Pernille More durable scored a 15-minute hat-trick as Bayern went on to snap a four-game winless run within the Champions League.

“It’s a soccer recreation at a excessive tempo and clearly we’re very disenchanted with the outcome and the way in which issues turned out within the second half,” mentioned Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall, who’s reportedly below stress following a run of only one win from the Gunners’ opening three WSL fixtures.

“We performed an excellent first half. I feel Bayern got here out with a whole lot of vitality within the second half and so they had been very efficient on set-pieces. We weren’t good at defending these, and that’s why we couldn’t get a greater outcome at this time.”