We have followed Manchester City Women’s team for the last 2 seasons & at the start of season 3 decided that we would try to go to some more away games including the UWCL matches (country dependant!) So with this in mind we watched the live draw with some trepidation. When FC Lugano Femminile were drawn we were over the moon to say the least. A 2 day trip to Switzerland 🇨🇭, who wouldn’t be happy!
So on Thursday we took off on our travels, a slightly delayed RyanAir flight & 2 bus journeys later we arrived in the stunning town of Lugano, just on the Italian border.
It was a 9pm kick off so we had some time exploring down by the lake side and grabbing some very expensive food!
After contact with some members of the Manchester City Women’s Official Supporters Club (MCWFCOSC) we arrived at the Stadio di Cornaredo, home of FF Lugano and collected our tickets
FC Lugano we’re formed in 1976, won the 2nd division title in 2012 & 2014. Last season they finished runners up in the Nationalliga A, the top women’s league in Switzerland. This put them into the Champions League draw for the 1st time.
The stadium is set with the a gorgeous backdrop of the Bre & Boglia mountains and has a capacity of 10500. Luganos usual attendance runs in the early 100’s yet Thursdays match saw 1300+ people turn out after players were handing out flyers in the town trying to drum up support. 
9pm kick off and the players came out!
and do did the supporters! 
Some new faces featuring some n the starting XI with Scott, Beckie & Wullaert being dropped to the bench in favour of Bremer & 2 of the summers new signings Coombs & Geum-min. In my opinion City started out quite lax, sloppy passing, trying to pull off flashy passes and Lugano we’re defending well even so, City managed 3 attempts, Bremer hitting the woodwork, Stanway forcing a save & Weir just inches away, before it Georgia Stanway to got us off the mark at 26 minutes followed unfortunately by her going off with a thigh injury shortly after.
Minutes before the half time whistle, on really the only dangerous break that Lugano could muster, Kaela Dickerman curled one into the top corner.
City clearly had a talking too off Nick Cushing as the team came out with much more authority in the 2nd half starting off in the 48th minute with Aoife Mannions first City and first UWCL goal from a strongly taken penalty. In quick succession followed a brace each from Pauline Bremer & Caroline Weir, after hitting the woodwork multiple times finally got the back of the net. Substitute Janine Beckie got on the scoring sheet too. 
Lugano we’re very hospitable to the City supporters, especially the bar staff! We loved our trip there.
A 7-1 win sets City up for what should be a confident home leg back at the CFA Wednesday 25th Sept at 7pm. With a CFA filled with home support I wonder what the goal tally could be!
Team H-P Life 