Defending champions Manchester City continued their winning start to the Women's Super League season with a hard-fought victory against newly promoted Charlton Athletic.

Alex Greenwood's brilliant free-kick 10 minutes before half-time set City up for a fourth consecutive league win, though the visitors could not convert any of the 18 other shots they took and had to survive a few scares.

City manager Andree Jeglertz made six changes to his side with both Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp starting on the bench, but struggled to break down Charlton's compact defensive structure despite enjoying 79% possession in the first half.

It took 19 minutes for the visitors to create a serious opportunity, but Addicks goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse was equal to Mary Fowler's snap-shot from a Kerstin Casparij cut back.

Charlton picked their moments to break and went close through Jodie Hutton, but the midfielder's fierce strike from an angle was tipped wide by City goalkeeper Eartha Cumings.

Cumings, standing in for City's regular starter Ayaka Yamashita, looked unconvincing when coming for aerial balls, but the hosts were unable to take advantage.

Just as City's frustrations were beginning to show, Grace Clinton won a free-kick 25 yards from goal and Greenwood bent a delicious effort over the wall and into the bottom corner.

City started the second half by forcing Whitehouse into two quickfire saves, first from Gracie Prior's low strike from distance and then Clinton's rebound on the turn.

Charlton weathered that storm and created a great chance to level, but Cassandra Korhonen - guilty of ducking in the wall at Greenwood's free-kick - headed straight at Cumings from a Hutton cross.

With only a slender lead to show for their dominance, City introduced Shaw, Yui Hasegawa and debutante Niamh Charles with 30 minutes remaining.

Charlton defender Hawa Cissoko - making her return from suspension - was fortunate to get away with a late challenge on Beth Mead inside the penalty area, but minutes later twice denied Shaw with well-timed blocks.

Shaw sent a late header wide as City failed find a second goal, but it didn't matter as they kept a clean sheet for the first time this campaign.

After chaotic back-to-back matches against Liverpool and Bayern Munich, Manchester City's players and staff might be quietly pleased to control a match and only need to score once.

The champions did so despite resting Hemp, who has been their star performer so far this season, and only putting 30 minutes in the legs of Shaw and Hasegawa.

In the opening stages, it looked like Shaw's absence would cost City as they laboured to create chances. Having a focal point to win second balls from and move defenders out of position can be incredibly useful against a deep and compact defence.

Mary Fowler, operating in a false nine role, constantly rotated with Mead, Clinton and Aoba Fujino in central areas, but all struggled to find space to operate in.

"It's a good performance - we should have created more scoring chances," said Jeglertz.

"Sometimes the last pass wasn't there but there was also players who haven't played together as much today. We have rotated a couple of players."

But on one of the few instances City did find space in front of Charlton's back four, Clinton won a foul and Greenwood scored her first WSL goal since April 2024.

If City were a little sluggish in the first half, their intensity after the break was much improved. The fact they upped the tempo without leaving too many gaps at the back - as has been the case too often this term - will please Jeglertz enormously.

After losing their opening three WSL matches while scoring just one goal and conceding nine, getting a result against free-scoring City was always a tall order for Charlton.

But Karen Hills' side produced a solid and determined defensive performance, while still looking to exploit City's weakness to counter-attacks and set-pieces.

They might have nicked a point had Korhonen converted her late header, though that moment neatly summed up their main problem: Where are the goals going to come from?

Charlton's only goal this season came from a Hutton wonder strike against London City Lionesses, something she unsuccessfully tried to replicate in the first half.

The newly promoted side were brave on the ball and pressed City well in spells, but still only managed one attempt on target.

If they are to avoid an immediate return to WSL 2, Charlton must start finishing more of the quality chances they create.