- Published
It shows how quickly London City Lionesses have progressed that they were hugely disappointed with a narrow defeat by defending champions Manchester City.
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they → publish → City
For a team that were playing second-tier football 18 months ago, their lofty ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League suddenly don't seem farfetched.
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ambitions → play → League
London City looked like the better team for most of the afternoon at Hayes Lane but were given a harsh lesson by the visitors in how to be ruthless.
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City → look → visitors
Manchester City needed goals from Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp against the run of play, but they dug in to win 2-1 and to continue setting the pace at the top.
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they → need → top
Those goals came after countless opportunities went begging for London City, who ended the game having had 24 shots but only six on target.
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who → come → target
The performance was enough, however, to show that London City are more than capable of competing with the WSL's elite.
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City → show → elite
The next question, is whether they can do it consistently.
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they → do → it
Consistency and maturity - what is lacking
London City Lionesses are a club who do things differently and, backed by US billionaire Michele Kang, they are not shy to disrupt the current order.
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they → lack → order
They are an independent women's football club who have spent big in the transfer window and agreed a record-breaking shirt deal with Nike believed to be worth more than £3m a year.
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who → spend → Nike
They have built their own training facility in Kent and persuaded superstars such as Alexia Putellas to join in the summer.
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They → build → summer
Spain international Putellas showcased her latest Ballon d'Or trophy - the third of her career - before kick-off on Sunday.
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Putellas → showcase → Sunday
London City Lionesses are clearly no minnows, but even a squad full of superstars needs time to gel.
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squad → need → time
It was for this reason that people doubted whether they were ready this season to qualify for the Champions League and break the WSL's traditional top three.
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they → doubt → three
But on Sunday's showing, they are not as far off as people thought.
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people → think → showing
Manager Eder Maestre said the team's performances are already at the level they want but results have not always shown that and they still have work to do.
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they → say → work
We were speaking a lot about respecting the identity and it doesn't matter the team that we were facing," the Spaniard said.
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Spaniard → speak → that
"The next step in that project was showing everybody that we can perform, while respecting that identity that we are trying to build on.
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we → show → that
"That's why it's doubly frustrating, because I think the result was not the one we deserve.
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we → think → ?
"They are more used to it. When you have this consistency and you are very used to playing these kinds of games, maybe you have more experience.
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you → have → experience
"That's why we have extra nervousness in the moments that we need to be more clinical.
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we → have → moments
Where London City fell was where Manchester City stood tall.
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City → fall → ?
Moments of brilliance by world-class players Shaw and Hemp delivered the goods and when London City's pressure grew, so too did Manchester City's resilience.
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resilience → deliver → goods
It is that consistency across 90 minutes, and the season as a whole, that Manchester City manager Andree Jeglertz believes will demonstrate the difference.
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Jeglertz → believe → difference
"They are a very good team and they really showed the highest level," said Jeglertz.
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Jeglertz → show → level
"What it means to be at the top of this league, is playing week after week, and at the same level - and finding different levels to win.
"That is what we have created.
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we → mean → what
That's what everybody who wants to win something needs to be able to do.
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who → want → something
To contest, you need to compete for the whole season.
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you → contest → season
"
Will they be allowed to compete in Europe?
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they → allow → Europe
London City Lionesses are providing plenty of optimism on the pitch but even if they were to qualify for the Champions League this season, are they allowed to?
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they → provide → League
Current Uefa rules state that owners cannot have two clubs competing in the same competition meaning one of Kang's Lyon or London City Lionesses would miss out.
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one → state → Lyon
It is a dilemma that many have discussed but if they continue to perform so well, it could prove to be a problem earlier than expected.
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it → discuss → that
"First of all, what we feel is important, is to be part of the conversation," London City's chief executive officer Martin Semmens told BBC Sport.
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officer → feel → Sport
"The next stage is getting towards trophies.
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stage → get → trophies
Our ambition is to be in Europe, to play in Europe every year, and to compete with the likes of Barcelona and Arsenal.
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ambition → play → Barcelona
"We're probably one step behind that in squad development and all the other things we have to do.
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we → have → development
But on our day, we feel we can beat them.
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we → feel → them
"
London City's ambitions are clear - so what happens if they do qualify this season?
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they → happen → ?
"I think Michele [Kang] has a really clear view and that is that she wants to see as much investment come into the women's game as possible," added Semmens.
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Semmens → think → game
"The men's multi-club ownership rules is about being careful not to have control over two clubs.
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rules → have → clubs
We see it differently on the women's side.
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We → see → side
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
