In front of a women’s record crowd of 27,574 at Anfield, Liverpool suffered a 3-0 defeat against Everton in the Merseyside Derby on Sunday night.
Liverpool Women 0-3 Everton Women
Women’s Super League (2), Anfield
September 25, 2022
Goals
Finnigan 9′
Park 33′
Bennison 87′
There was a great atmosphere around the ground before kick-off with plenty of youngsters in attendance as part of a record 27,574 crowd for a women’s game at Anfield.
However, after an opening day win against champions Chelsea, Liverpool fell back down to earth 10 minutes in when Megan Finnigan directed a well-placed header beyond goalkeeper Rachel Laws.
Liverpool’s first chance came midway through the first half and was a golden one for Katie Stengel, who created and missed the chance after tackling Rikke Sevecke in the Everton half. The American, who was the match winner in last week’s opening day win over reigning champions Chelsea, took too long to get her shot off, though.
Soon after, Jess Park doubled the visitors’ lead in calm fashion. The Manchester City-loanee ran onto a long ball over the top that evaded Jasmine Matthews, before cutting onto her left and sitting Matthews down to slot past the ‘keeper.
Another brilliant chance then came Liverpool’s way as Everton failed to clear their lines from a corner, allowing Ceri Holland time to pick her spot with a curling side-footed effort. Unfortunately for the Welsh midfielder, her shot went agonisingly wide of Courtney Brosnan’s left-hand post.
Half time: Liverpool Women 0-2 Everton Women
The second half started quietly on the pitch but not in the stands where supporters made their own entertainment, shining their phone torches like at a concert while chanting in a higher pitch than usually heard at Anfield.
The red stars in the middle lifted their game in response with both Taylor Hinds and Holland dribbling with quality into the Everton box.
Neither side created any clear-cut chances until deep into the second period, though, with the back fives, which both teams transitioned into out of possession, working effectively to deny possession around the penalty boxes.
Liverpool went close five minutes from time when a floated cross was headed up in the air by Rikke Sevecke and looped up over goalkeeper Brosnan, who misjudged the bounce but managed to get back on to her goalline in time to clean up the mess.
The Reds’ pressure began to grow but Everton struck on the counter-attack after Megan Campbell was caught in possession in her own half. Jess Park latched onto the loose ball and used her vision to find Hanna Bennison. The substitute showed good composure to sidefoot beyond Laws into the bottom corner for 3-0.
The night didn’t go as hoped for Liverpool with the defeat a comprehensive one for Matt Beard’s side. And the Everton clean sheet meant Liverpool Women have now failed to score in each of their three appearances at Anfield.
It doesn’t get easier for the Reds, who will face Arsenal and Man City before October is out.
TIA Player of the Match: Yana Daniels
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Attendance: 27,574
Liverpool Women: Laws, Koivisto (Roberts 72′), Hinds, Flaherty, Matthews (Daniels 56′), Kearns (Furness 46′), Fahey, Stengel, Campbell, Holland, Lawley (Wardlaw 72′)
Subs not used: Cumings, Kirby, Robe, Humphrey, Silcock
Everton Women: Brosnan, Veje, Bjorn, Sevecke, George, Christiansen (Bennison 63′), Graham, Galli, Snoeijs (Quieroz (63′), Finnigan, Park (Stenevik 90′)
Subs not used: Ramsey, Maier, Weir, Holmgaard
Next Match: Sunderland Ladies (A) – Sunday, October 2, 11.30am
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