Manchester City cruised into the Champions League Round of 16 with a comfortable victory of St Polten.

It was a sedate game compared to the drama in Munich 24 hours earlier but City should have been ahead inside the first minute when a superb free kick from the right by Abbie McManus found Steph Houghton a yard out but she could only fire over the bar with the keeper beaten. They had an even better chance after six minutes when Jane Ross was brought down in the penalty area by St Polton goalkeeper Jasmin Boisits after an under-hit back-pass played in Ross. However, Boisits made amends as she saved Ross spot kick down to her left.

A nice ball down the right from Jill Scott was retrieved by Nikita Parris who did well to cut inside before flashing an effort wide of the far post inside the penalty area on 14 minutes. City’s best move came on 33 minutes when a sweeping past out right from Jill Scott was played back into the box by Parris but Christiansen was denied by a superb save from Boisits. The deadlock was finally broken on 35 minutes when Parris turned in at close range after Scott headed down a corner at the near post.

City added their second a minute before half time as Scott found Boisits off her line following a flowing move and curled her effort into the side netting from 20 yards out.

The opening stages of the second half saw City restricted to aerial chances as both Christiansen and Captain Steph Houghton headed wide at the far post from deep crosses.  City rang the changes as Claire Emslie and Mel Lawley replacing Georgia Stanway and Nikita Parris. Emslie came the closest to adding a third in late in the game as she failed to connect from an excellent cross from the terrific Abbie McManus.

If the result wasn’t in doubt Mel Lawley made sure with five minutes remaining when a loose ball fell to her 12 yards out and she fired home a rocket from 12 yards out.