In a battle of third and fourth heading into the weekend, Liverpool had to settle for a draw at Tottenham as record summer signing Sophie Roman Haug scored her first goal.
Tottenham Women 1-1 Liverpool Women
WSL (6), Brisbane Road
November 12, 2023
Goals: Bizet 27′; Haug 66′
Both Liverpool and Tottenham have started the new league campaign brightly, separated only by goal difference heading into Sunday’s match, with the hosts sitting one place ahead in third.
Matt Beard’s side won last time out in the league and had the chance to go level on points with second-placed Arsenal, but the manager was left displeased by what he saw at Brisbane Road.
“We rode our luck a little bit,” he assessed following the match, after Spurs opened the scoring in the first half thanks to a sublime individual effort from Celin Bizet Ildhusoy, which started in her own half.
Spurs had the momentum and Liverpool gifted away possession and territory all too easily, but the Reds ensured the hosts were contained to their single goal as England manager Sarina Wiegman watched on.
Liverpool’s record appearance maker, Gemma Bonner, was key at the back, but it was another record holder in Haug who got the all-important equaliser, with her first goal for the club.
Air Haug ??#BarclaysWSL @LiverpoolFCW pic.twitter.com/cz7CMKnitW
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) November 12, 2023
Intelligently placing herself between two defenders, the Norwegian rose the highest to meet Yana Daniel’s cross and head the ball into the back of the net for 1-1 midway through the second half.
Rachel Laws was needed to protect the point and did so as Tottenham piled on the pressure late on, before the Reds responded and had chances of their through Natasha Flint and Bonner.
With neither able to break the deadlock and thanks to results elsewhere, Liverpool are now fifth after six games and five points behind early leaders Chelsea – who they face next.
Beard was frustrated with the point – although it does maintain the Reds’ unbeaten start on the road and ensures points are still being added, which was a struggle last season.
“I don’t know if we have got away with one, but plenty of learnings today,” Beard said. “This year we’re unbeaten [on the road], so I think for us it’s just about making sure if we can’t get three points, we get one.”
Liverpool: Laws; Fisk, Clark, Bonner, Hinds; Nagano, Holland, Hobinger (Kearns 75′); Enderby (Van de Sanden 43′), Lawley (Daniels 63′), Haug (Flint 75′)
Subs not used: Spencer, Parry, Kearns, Lundgaard, Kiernan
Next match: Chelsea (A) – WSL – Saturday, November 18, 1.30pm GMT
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