Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating has revealed how she overcome her season’s low moment following their 2-1 loss to Arsenal in November.
Khiara Keating has revealed how she overcome a key error in Manchester City’s defeat to Arsenal in November.
The 19-year-old has played every league game for City this season, establishing herself as England’s No.2 goalkeeper behind freshly named BBC Sports Personality of the Year Mary Earps.
But Keating has had her share of difficulties, including her first significant hiccup last month, when two blunders proved crucial in a 2-1 loss to fellow championship contenders Arsenal. Steph Catley scored the Gunners’ opening goal after a bad clearing, but City equalized.
In the dying minutes, Keating missed Katie McCabe’s long punt down field, allowing Stina Blackstenius to square the ball into an empty net and win the game. The little Lionesses actress was in tears after the game, but she says it taught her a “big lesson.”
“Afterwards, I needed to be around my family,” Keating said to The Athletic. “I turned off the world and my phone for about two days — I don’t want to see the comments.”
“At that point, you don’t have time to go hug your mother.” I tried as hard as I could to forget about it. ‘It’ll die down at some time,’ I reasoned.
“It was a valuable lesson for me both on and off the field.” Everybody will make errors. Nobody is perfect. When it initially happened, I feared the world was about to end, but everything was OK.”
Since the Arsenal defeat, Keating has helped City regain form, with Gareth Taylor’s team rising to second place in the standings, only three points behind Arsenal.
After Arsenal’s defeat, Keating is consoled by his teammates.
Keating, who has already been called up for two England teams this season, is relishing the opportunity to train and work alongside Earps in the hopes of one day taking her spot in the team. If she succeeds, Keating will be the first goalie from an ethnic minority to play for England’s senior women’s squad.
“Mary’s lovely,” said Keating. “She compares me to her annoying little sister.” (During training), I’ll simply put it in the top bins for the purpose of going top bins, and she’ll come over and jump on me. She’ll try to chip me again, but I’m not going to let her have it easy.”
“I don’t think about it (playing for England) all the time, but it’s in the back of my mind.”
