Match reportKiernan, Kearns and Roman Haug strike in WSL victory over West Ham

Irish striker Kiernan delivered a St. Patrick’s Day to remember with the opener in the first half, greeted with emotional scenes at Prenton Park after her long fightback from injury.

Kearns headed home the second not long after the break to give Matt Beard’s side the breathing space they needed, with Roman Haug making the game safe as early as the 73rd minute with a quality finish from captain Niamh Fahey’s flicked assist.

Kiernan’s goal came on her first WSL start of the year, her first strike since the final match of the 2021-22 campaign against Sheffield United, having missed virtually all of last season.

Liverpool started confidently and a lovely team move ended with Marie Höbinger sending a tantalising cross across the face of the goal, but it managed to elude the three teammates who were arriving into the box.

Kiernan looked to have escaped down the inside left channel a short time later but she opted to cut inside and the chance was lost.

More crisp passing almost ended with a chance for Höbinger before Grace Fisk was needed to deny the advancing Emma Snerle as West Ham offered their first threat.

The excellent Fahey was leading from the front, winning some powerful headers to keep most of the play in the visitors’ half.

A brilliant cross from Jasmine Matthews caused chaos in the West Ham box but a tremendous header from Shelina Zadorsky cleared the danger with Roman Haug lurking.

The Reds were forced into an early change seven minutes from the break as Sofie Lundgaard picked up a knock, seeing Kearns step in from the bench.

Even as they waited to make the change, the hosts almost broke the deadlock as Kiernan’s shot was fumbled onto the bar by Mackenzie Arnold. Fahey headed the resulting corner over the bar.

It wasn’t long, however, before Kiernan had her moment.

Roman Haug headed a ball into the path of Matthews on the left and her clever pass allowed a stretching Ceri Holland to just beat Arnold to the ball and tee up a sliding Kiernan to force it home.

PHOTOS

The celebrations among the whole squad showed how much it meant, given the Irish striker’s long battle for fitness.

West Ham threatened a quick leveller before the break, Kirsty Smith shooting wide before Rachael Laws pulled off a superb save to deny Riko Ueki after Matthews misplaced her back-pass.

Liverpool stretched their lead within five minutes of the restart with a goal beautiful in its simplicity.

Holland cut inside from the left side and delivered a perfect cross for Kearns to rise and head perfectly into the net at the near post.

The Reds were flying now and looked capable of extending their lead further, although Viviane Asseyi’s shot over at the other end still offered a reminder of the visitors’ own threat.

The game was safe, however, when the Reds added a third, Holland’s deep cross from the left headed on by Fahey and Roman Haug’s instinctive finish flying over Arnold and into the net.

Laws was out quickly to deny Ueki again but most of the chances were for the home side, Kearns firing just over from distance before setting up Shanice van de Sanden, whose close-range effort was blocked well by Arnold.

A misplaced pass allowed Ueki to grab an unlikely consolation for the visitors but the three points stayed firmly with Liverpool.

TEAM

Liverpool: Laws, Koivisto, Matthews, Fahey, Fisk, Clark, Lundgaard (Kearns, 38), Holland, Höbinger (Daniels, 65), Kiernan (Van de Sanden, 60), Roman H.

Unused substitutes: Micah, Enderby, Lawley, Parry.

NEXT UP

Liverpool return to action next Sunday for the Merseyside derby with Everton at Goodison Park.

Kick-off for the encounter is at 1pm GMT and away tickets can be purchased here.