Match reportLiverpool suffer late defeat in WSL clash with Man City at Anfield

The Reds got themselves in front four minutes before half-time in Sunday’s clash – held at the club’s L4 home – with a memorable Olivia Smith effort from distance.

Khadija Shaw’s header restored parity after the interval, however, and after also hitting the post the opposition striker slammed in a winner in the second minute of added time.

City enjoyed dominance of possession in the earliest stages but it was Liverpool who produced the game’s first threat.

A ball over the top was chased down by Smith and the No.11 showed strength to hold off pressure from Leila Ouahabi, though her final effort lacked the power to concern opposition goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.

Good positioning by Jenna Clark ensured nothing problematic materialised when Shaw found some space in the area and rolled a pass into the middle.

Gemma Bonner got free from her marker and headed over from Marie Höbinger’s dangerous set-piece, before at the other end Shaw sent an awkward flick wide after meeting Ouahabi’s pullback.

The visitors created the best chance so far just prior to the half-hour mark.

Lauren Hemp spearheaded the attack from the right-hand side and broke free in the box via a slick one-two with Shaw, but her attempt to lift a finish over Rachael Laws trailed wide of the far post.

Summer signing Smith was, again, a livewire presence for Liverpool and she handed the hosts a lead – and first WSL goal at the stadium – in minute 41.

Laws’ clearance towards Sophie Roman Haug was not dealt with by City and Smith pounced on the confusion, taking the ball and firing a low strike from around 25 yards out that crept between the left post and Yamashita’s reach.

Smith appeared to sustain an injury in the process of scoring the opener, and she was duly replaced by Mia Enderby when the teams emerged for the second half.

The Reds were able to push City back more effectively early on, with one Höbinger corner kick diverted wide by the head of Roman Haug at the Kop end.

Taylor Hinds, captaining the home side, then crashed a shot into the side-netting after bounding into the City area from a turnover high up the pitch.

The visitors’ response included Jill Roord dragging a decent chance wide to the left, before Shaw brought them back on level terms two minutes shy of the hour.

Hemp was the creative source of the equaliser, attacking the left channel and supplying a cross that her teammate headed across Laws and into the bottom corner.

With the game situation shifted, City now regained greater control of the ball, probing for a second goal, which almost came when Hemp moved in from the left flank and curled a right-footer just wide.

Mary Fowler was close with a turn-and-shot from the edge of the box that whistled past the post, before a combination of fortune and battling kept City out.

Shaw was sent in behind, took the ball around Laws and from a narrowing angle swept a bobbling finish off the woodwork, with Lucy Parry, Jasmine Matthews and Niamh Fahey ensuring nobody could turn in a rebound.

Alex Greenwood shaved that same post from close range when a City corner was not cleared, but the pressure finally told in stoppage time.

Shaw ran through to take a forward pass from Laia Aleixandri into the area, held off Fahey and thumped a shot high into the net.

Team

Liverpool: Laws, Parry, Clark, Bonner (Fahey, 80), Matthews, Hinds, Nagano, Höbinger, Kapocs (Kiernan, 80), Smith (Enderby, 46), Roman H.

Unused subs: Evans, Daniels, Silcock, Duffy.

Next up

The Reds host Crystal Palace at St Helens Stadium next Sunday (October 20), with kick-off 2pm BST. Get your tickets for that game here.