Hearts Women were knocked out of the Sky Sports Cup on Sunday as Glasgow City ran out 3-2 winners at Oriam.
Eva Olid made three changes from the side that lost to Rangers last time out as Charlotte Parker-Smith, Bayley Hutchison and Sade Adamolekun all came into the starting 11.
The Jambos came into this match looking to exact some revenge following City’s 2-1 victory over the women in maroon earlier in the season, but it was the worst possible start as the visitors opened the scoring after just seven minutes, with the games first real opening.
Wilma Forsblom was unmarked inside the Hearts box and when an attempted clearance fell at the feet of the City number 12, she produced an excellent finish on the half volley to open the scoring.
Although that had been the first opening of the match, it was a dominant spell for City following the opening goal and Parker-Smith was called into action on more than one occasion to keep the tie alive.
Firstly, the stopper dived to her right to keep out Forsblom, before a brilliant, point-blank stop to deny Brenda Lovera, either side of Aleigh Gambone’s effort which came back off the post.
That was an important period for Hearts to navigate, but navigate it they did and after a nice move resulted in Sade Adamolekun not quite being able to get a shot away, the Jamaican did get a shot off when the ball next came her way and she made it count, by finding the back of the net.
It was a more aggressive press from Hearts and after they won possession high up the park, Hutchison had the awareness to quickly square the ball for Adamolekun who poked home the equaliser nine minutes from the break.
Half-time: Hearts 1-1 Glasgow City
With some of the chances they passed up in the early stages, City would’ve been frustrated to have not been ahead at the interval, but they restored their lead six minutes into the second half.
Hearts didn’t clear their lines from a corner and when the ball dropped to Samantha van Diemen, she fired through a crowd of bodies to put the visitors back in front.
The women in maroon had struggled to test Lee Gibson in the City goal all afternoon, but they almost restored parity for the second time on 63 minutes as Lisa Robertson’s dangerous free kick was met by Lauren Wade. The wingers header was stopped by the feet of Gibson and when the rebound fell to Hutchison, the striker seemed destined to score, but her effort came back off the outside of the post.
It was Hearts in the ascendency at this point and another big chance came and went five minutes later as Eilidh Shore’s lofted cross found Joely Andrews in acres of space, but she headed wide from close range.
Jackie Richards and Georgia Timms were introduced as Hearts continued to search for an equaliser and the former almost provided it 15 minutes from time when Emma Brownlie flicked on Robertson’s corner to the American, but her header landed on the roof of the net.
Unlike in last weekend's defeat to Rangers, Hearts had certainly had chances, but as we entered the final 10 minutes, the Jambos had to open up as they became more desperate, and City provided a sucker punch on the counter attack seven minutes from time.
Eilidh Shore was frantically trying to get back to cut out a City cross from the right, but in doing so, turned the ball past Parker-Smith.
That was harsh on Hearts, but they didn’t give up and they pulled a goal back bang on the 90th minute as Kayla Jardine’s cross was met by Timms and although her first effort was stopped by Gibson, Richards fired home the rebound.
The game then entered over 7 minutes of stoppage time, and it felt like Hearts did everything but score in those added minutes with numerous balls into the box, but it just didn’t fall for the Jambos as City progressed.
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Brownlie ©, Robertson, Forsyth, Shore, Hutchison, Wade (Richards, 69), Waldie, Adamolekun (Jardine, 79), Andrews (Timms, 69), E. Husband
Subs: Johnstone, Ilijoski, Timms, Jardine, Greenwood, Hutchison, Richards, Broadrick
Glasgow City: Gibson ©, Muir, Lovera, Whelan, Forsblom, Anderson, Gambone, Evans, Smit, Diemen, Forrest
Subs: Easdon, Warrington, Walsh, Fulton, Noel, Kozlova, Määttä, Foley, Martin
