Oxford maintained their strong early-season form with a clinical 4–0 victory over Cambridge, in a match that saw the visitors’ defensive organisation and ruthless finishing prove too much for a determined but ultimately frustrated Cambridge side.

There were perfect conditions for the renewal of one of Britain’s oldest rivalries, with a soft pitch and a light drizzle. Oxford’s Blues looked to build on their opening day win, whilst Cambridge sought a repeat of their victory the last time they faced this Oxford side.

It was a contest that started with intensity from both sides, though it was Oxford who struck the first blow early on. The visitors were gifted a golden opportunity from 12 yards, and their striker made no mistake, slotting it past Sophie Perret for the hosts to open the scoring.

That early goal set the tone for much of the first half as Oxford’s pace and movement in the final third continually caused problems for the Cambridge back line. Barely 15 minutes later, Oxford thought they had doubled their lead when a swift counter attack ended with the ball in the net, only for the assistant’s offside flag to cut short the celebrations.

“The devastatingly efficient Oxford transition”

The disallowed goal came as a relief for Cambridge, who had been struggling to find rhythm in possession. An injury to one of Oxford’s midfielders midway through the half allowed the hosts to regroup, and Cambridge began to look more threatening, especially down the left flank where Martina Abels Marti and Sakina Dhirani combined well to win a corner. From that set piece, Cambridge came agonisingly close to levelling and saw the ball cleared off the line by an Oxford defender.

That moment seemed to galvanise Cambridge, who began to pile on the pressure with three corners in quick succession. Then, McGarry’s neat footwork earned a free kick soon after that forced a rare save from the Oxford keeper. Despite that brief spell, however, Oxford’s defence stood firm, clearing their lines and maintaining their narrow advantage.

Perret, meanwhile, was kept busy not only with routine saves but also by acting as a sweeper to intercept dangerous balls over the top, testimonial to Oxford’s willingness to exploit space behind the defence.

“As the half progressed, Oxford regained their composure and control of the game”

As the half progressed, Oxford regained their composure and control of the game. Their set-piece prowess continued to threaten, and in the 35th minute they once again found the net– only for the assistant referee to rule it out for offside once more. Cambridge’s reprieve was short-lived, however. Just before the break, Oxford broke through again, slicing open the Cambridge back line with a sharp passing move before sliding the ball across goal for a simple tap-in to make it 2–0.

Cambridge entered the interval knowing they had competed well for large portions of the half but had been undone by Oxford’s clinical edge. As much as they had to break up the devastatingly efficient Oxford transition, Cambridge needed to be more creative in the opposition half and take more risks in the final third to try and salvage something from the game.

The second half began much as the first had ended, with Oxford on the front foot. The visitors were first back out onto the pitch and they created the first big chance after the restart, their striker racing through on goal only to squander what looked a certain third goal. That miss could have offered Cambridge a lifeline, and moments later they nearly took it: Christiana Wayne’s curling free kick was destined for the far corner, only to see it heroically headed off the line by an Oxford defender.

“The game began to heat up around the 70-minute mark, re-discovering its characteristic fight”

Wayne continued to be a bright spark, her energy and creativity offering hope of a comeback. She put a probing ball over the top soon after but nobody could latch onto it, as another move dissipated in the final third.

Despite some promising moves, Cambridge found themselves struggling to gain any real foothold. By the hour mark, frustration began to creep in as several attacks broke down without truly testing Mourney in the Oxford goal. Another series of corners failed to yield results, and as time ticked on, Oxford looked increasingly comfortable absorbing pressure and hitting on the counter.

The game began to heat up around the 70-minute mark, re-discovering its characteristic fight with some good battles in the middle of the park. Alexandra McGarry continued to determinedly drive her team forward, winning a free kick and showing great footwork to keep Cambridge’s hopes alive.

Those missed opportunities proved costly. In the 78th minute, Oxford delivered the decisive blow as they found the bottom corner with a composed finish to make it 3–0. That goal all but ended Cambridge’s comeback hopes, though they continued to battle admirably in search of consolation.

“Adding a fourth goal in the closing stages to put a final nail in the Cambridge coffin”

Substitute Vicky Olamona embodied that fighting spirit late on, driving through the middle to try and carve out one last chance for the hosts. Yet as Cambridge pushed forward, gaps opened at the back. Oxford exploited one such moment ruthlessly, adding a fourth goal in the closing stages to put a final nail in the Cambridge coffin and seal a commanding victory.

There was still time for one final glimpse of what Cambridge were capable of - Christiana Wayne threading an excellent through ball into the path of Martina Abels Marti - but once again, the Oxford keeper remained untroubled as the shot was fired wide. It summed up the afternoon: plenty of effort and flashes of quality from Cambridge, but no end product to show for it.

As the final whistle blew, Oxford celebrated a polished performance and a result that reflected their clinical finishing and defensive solidity. A tough day at the office for the light blues, but with lessons learned and their determination clear, Cambridge will look to bounce back quickly at Loughborough next week - as the search for a first win continues.