Match reportLiverpool suffer WSL defeat at Manchester City

After chances at either end during the opening half-hour at Joie Stadium, a double from Khadija Shaw put the home team in control before half-time.

Jill Roord and Gracie Prior added to the scoreline for City during the second half to clinch victory.

City took control of the ball from the off, though Liverpool’s organised defending meant there was little for the hosts to show for it.

That was desperately close to changing in the 10th minute. A deep cross from the left flank to the back post was met full on the volley by Aoba Fujino. The effort flicked off Taylor Hinds, struck the inside of the post and stayed out.

Teagan Micah denied Yui Hasegawa on the follow-up and the Liverpool goalkeeper repelled a drive from Shaw moments later.

Having held City at arm’s length in the early phases, the visitors had two excellent opportunities to score themselves in quick succession.

First, a loose header at the back from the hosts allowed Leanne Kiernan to move into space one-on-one with the goalkeeper. From left of the target, the striker skewed her finish wide of the near post.

Hinds then set Ceri Holland free in behind with a hoisted pass. She unselfishly squared for the unmarked Kiernan in the box, but her attempt to round Ayaka Yamashita failed.

The ball did roll back out to Holland and the City goal was largely exposed, only for Rebecca Knaak to block the midfielder’s shot on the goalline.

The hosts got in front on the half-hour mark, however.

Mary Fowler’s threaded pass into the Liverpool area was deftly turned on by Shaw – deemed narrowly onside despite appeals – and she guided a low finish across Micah into the bottom corner.

Shaw then doubled the lead for her side two minutes before the interval, showing supreme efficiency to bring down Fowler’s cross and rasp the ball past Micah.

City might have added a third within two minutes of the restart but Fujino dragged her attempt off target after fine build-up play by the influential Fowler.

Micah produced another impressive save to thwart Vivianne Miedema’s blasted effort as the hour mark approached. On it, however, the score gap was increased.

Roord was able to line up a shot from the edge of the box and despite the initial attempt being blocked, she clipped the second clinically into the right of the net.

Hinds drew a low stop from Yamashita having driven into space with a dribble, but on 77 minutes Prior’s cross fortuitously swirled over Micah and in to make it 4-0 for City.

Reds substitute Cornelia Kapocs was lively and twice had chance to go for goal from a spot in the left channel – on both occasions Yamashita reacted well to save.

Micah made an outstanding fingertip save in stoppage time to touch Kerolin’s reverse strike onto the woodwork, but Liverpool had long been consigned to defeat.

Team

Micah, Parry (Bonner, 80), Clark, Fisk, Evans (Kapocs, 73), Hinds, Kerr (Nagano, 63), Holland (Shaw, 79), Höbinger, Kiernan (Enderby, 63), Roman H.

Unused subs: Laws, Daniels, Bernabe.

Next up

With an international break ahead, Liverpool will return to action on Sunday March 2 when they travel to Crystal Palace in the WSL. Kick-off is 2pm GMT.

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