Match reportMegan Campbell free-kick gives LFC Women victory in League Cup opener

Megan Campbell's free-kick in the 22nd minute was enough to secure the Reds the three points in the Group B opener at the Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground.

Matt Beard's side went close to adding to their lead numerous times on an afternoon that saw goalkeeper Eartha Cumings record a clean sheet on her competitive debut for the club.

Liverpool made an encouraging start and went close to delivering the breakthrough after just four minutes. Katie Stengel's dart into the penalty area ended with a shot that struck the crossbar.

But the visitors deservedly took the lead midway through the first half after Yana Daniels won a free-kick in a central area on the edge of the box.

Campbell stepped up to take the set-piece and fired it low and beyond Sunderland stopper Allison Cowling.

The lead was nearly doubled five minutes later but Daniels had a shot saved by Cowling and effort cleared off the line by Brianna Westrup in the aftermath.

The Reds kept applying the pressure after the half-time interval, with Hannah Silcock and Rachel Furness going close shortly after the restart.

The woodwork denied Beard's team again when Melissa Lawley's deflected hit struck the post. Daniels followed up on the rebound but could only find the side-netting from a tight angle.

Still searching for a second goal towards the end, Stengel and Taylor Hinds were then fractionally off target with attempts.

Stengel could have wrapped up the win deep into injury time following Lawley's through ball, but Grace McCatty put in a last-ditch challenge to deny the striker.

Liverpool held on to the result, however, as they now enter an international break before returning to action on October 16 at Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Women's Super League.

Liverpool FC Women: Cumings, Koivisto, Robe, Silcock (Flaherty, 64), Matthews, Campbell (Hinds, 46), Furness (Holland, 84), Wardlaw (Kearns, 46), Humphrey (Lawley, 56), Daniels, Stengel.

Unused substitutes: Laws, Kirby, Fahey.