LFC Women make it 3 from 3 in cup as goalkeeper keeps debut clean sheet

November 27, 2022
Jack Lusby

Though their wait for a league win continues, the Liverpool FC Women secured a third victory in a row in the League Cup on Sunday.

Liverpool FC Women 1-0 Blackburn Ladies

League Cup (3), Prenton Park
November 27, 2022

Goals: Matthews 45′

Liverpool, champions last season, have found it hard on their return to the Women’s Super League, with their first and only win coming on the opening day.

Since that 2-1 victory over Chelsea, Matt Beard’s side have gone seven without a win, including five losses and back-to-back 3-3 draws with Brighton and Reading.

When it comes to the League Cup, though, it has been a perfect start – which continued on Sunday with a controlled win over Championship side Blackburn.

Beard made a number of changes from the side that drew with Reading, including a debut for summer signing Faye Kirby between the sticks.

The first half played out with a number of hopeful balls into the box from Liverpool, with no takers, before a Melissa Lawley strike hammered the crossbar.

Finally, the goal came on the cusp of half-time, as Lawley played Carla Humphrey through out wide, with the 25-year-old’s cross headed home by Jasmine Matthews.

Beard sent on a number of key players after the break, with Taylor Hinds, Charlotte Wardlaw and leading goalscorer Katie Stengel coming on.

They continued to dominate but struggled to make their chances count, with Stengel sending a shot too close to the Blackburn goalkeeper and Yana Daniels messing up a big opening.

There was a return from injury for Ceri Holland, while Shanice van de Sanden also picked up more valuable minutes after a long spell out, as the game trailed out to a 1-0 win.

It is three from three in Group B of the League Cup, with Liverpool’s next tie coming at home to Man City, who have taken two wins from two so far.

LFC Women: Kirby; Koivisto (Hinds 46′), Roberts, Campbell, Robe; Silcock, Kearns (Holland 66′), Matthews (Wardlaw 46′), Daniels (Van de Sanden 81′); Lawley (Stengel 46′), Humphrey

Subs not used: Cumings, Fahey, Furness

Next match: West Ham (H) – WSL – Sunday, December 4, 2pm (GMT)