Match reportLiverpool put four past Brighton in WSL win at Prenton Park

After being the subject of a pre-match presentation to recognise her achievement of being the Reds’ record appearance maker in the WSL era, Gemma Bonner opened the scoring with a first-half header to set her side on their way to a commanding victory.

Shanice van de Sanden added a second before half-time, Ceri Holland headed home a third goal after the break and Sophie Roman Haug rounded things off in stoppage time as Matt Beard’s team returned to winning ways in style after back-to-back defeats against Chelsea and Manchester United.

The home side were on the front foot from the first whistle, with Emma Koivisto seeing a shot deflected behind and Roman Haug heading over the bar inside the opening two minutes.

Teagan Micah, making her WSL debut, made a good save to deny Pauline Bremer at the other end, and was then forced to turn a mishit cross from Elisabeth Terland over the bar soon after.

The Liverpool goalkeeper was needed again on 13 minutes, showing superb reactions after a dangerous corner from the left was diverted goalwards, and Koivisto then made a courageous block to deny Guro Bergsvand as another Brighton set-piece caused problems for the Reds.

Liverpool went ahead after 27 minutes, Bonner timing her near-post run perfectly to meet Marie Höbinger’s corner from the left, glancing the ball across goal and into the far corner of the net.

And they extended their lead two minutes before half-time, Roman Haug finding space to turn and play in Van de Sanden, who made no mistake with her finish across Sophie Baggaley.

Micah was in action before the break, beating away Maisie Symonds’ fierce free-kick as Beard’s side went in two goals to the good.

PHOTOS

By Nick Taylor

In the second half, Terland flicked a head over the bar and Katie Robinson failed to connect with another cross from the left as Brighton looked to respond.

But it was Liverpool who scored next on 62 minutes, with Roman Haug doing well to retrieve Höbinger’s pass and clip the ball across from the byline for Holland to nod into an empty net.

Van de Sanden was denied her second goal of the afternoon by a stunning reflex save from Baggaley after Höbinger’s through ball, and was then replaced by Leanne Kiernan after a brilliant individual performance.

Kiernan almost made an immediate impact, seeing her fierce angled shot clip the top of the bar within two minutes of her introduction, and the No.9 also had a header saved by Baggaley after a fine cross from another Reds substitute, Lucy Parry.

Missy Bo Kearns, on for Höbinger, was close to adding a fourth in the dying stages, but it was Roman Haug who capped things off in added time, sweeping home Kiernan’s low cross to round off a fine win for the Reds.

TEAM

Liverpool: Micah, Clark (Fahey, 86), Bonner, Fisk, Koivisto (Parry, 82), Höbinger (Kearns, 86), Holland (Lundgaard, 86), Nagano, Hinds, Roman H., Van den Sanden (Kiernan, 72).

Unused subs: Laws, Enderby, Lawley, Flint.

NEXT UP

Liverpool return to action after the international break on Sunday December 10 when they host Bristol City at Prenton Park. Tickets for the 2pm GMT kick-off can be purchased here.