Match reportKiernan hits hat-trick as LFC Women seal fourth with win at Leicester
Leanne Kiernan scored a hat-trick as Liverpool FC Women sealed a fourth-placed finish for 2023-24 with a 4-0 victory over Leicester City.
Sophie Roman Haug’s early header gave the Reds a lead in Saturday afternoon’s final fixture of the season at King Power Stadium.
And Kiernan starred during the second half with three well-taken goals to give Matt Beard’s side a commanding and merited win.
The result ensured they held fourth spot in the Barclays Women’s Super League – the club’s highest finish since 2017.
Liverpool settled right into their rhythm and hit the woodwork within two minutes of kick-off.
After Mia Enderby was fouled, Marie Höbinger curled an excellent free-kick from the ‘D’ that always looked dangerous – but was kept out by a combination of goalkeeper and crossbar.
The visitors did open the scoring on seven minutes, though.
Taylor Hinds had time and space to shape a cross from the left channel and she made the absolute most of it, floating a perfect ball to the head of Roman Haug, who clinically nodded it back into the bottom left corner.
Both sides were playing with a bit of end-of-season freedom and the Reds needed a couple of smart interceptions to prevent Leicester from breaking through.
Just before the half-hour, Höbinger saw a goalbound strike blocked having moved onto a flick forward by Enderby and cut inside Saori Takarada inside the box.
Emma Koivisto – making her final appearance for the club – made a penalty appeal soon after. The full-back felt her dribble into the area was illegally halted by Julie Thibaud, but the referee disagreed.
There were shots on target at each end as half-time loomed, with Rachael Laws pawing away a set-piece effort and Janina Leitzig denying Ceri Holland after a driving run and strike.
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Liverpool were in control when the second half began and another Holland foray into space on the left flank saw her cross evade Enderby in front of goal.
Höbinger wasn’t too far away with a side-footed curler from just outside the box after stealing possession from Takarada.
But they got their second goal in minute 66, with Kiernan netting within moments of being sent on from the bench by Beard.
Third time was the charm for Holland attacking via the left, the Wales international’s delivery into the centre glanced home by Kiernan.
There were a pair of notable substitutions, with Melissa Lawley making her last appearance before departing the Reds this summer and Zara Shaw – back involved after a long-term injury – achieving a debut.
And there was still time for two more Liverpool goals, Kiernan first pouncing on a long pass, beating the final defender and firing through the grasp of Leitzig.
The striker then completed her hat-trick four minutes into stoppage time, carrying the ball the length of the opposition half and planting it into the bottom corner to put the icing on a fourth consecutive WSL victory.
Liverpool: Laws, Koivisto, Fisk, Bonner, Clark, Hinds (Parry, 46), Nagano (Shaw, 76), Holland, Höbinger (Kearns, 72), Enderby (Kiernan, 65), Roman H. (Lawley, 72).
Unused subs: Spencer, Daniels, Leath.
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