Liverpool Women came from behind to draw 1-1 against Everton in front of 22,161 spectators at Goodison Park.
Everton Women 1-1 Liverpool Women
Women’s Super League, Goodison Park
March 24, 2023
Goals: George 27′; Stengel 40′
After losing 3-0 in the reverse fixture, Liverpool produced a respectable 1-1 draw against Everton Women in the second Merseyside Derby of the season.
It was the first time that Everton had hosted Liverpool Women at Goodison Park and, despite the cold weather and the game being on a Friday night, there was a record home attendance for Everton Women as 22,161 people came to watch.
The Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, was among those making up the numbers.
It wasn’t, though, the most for a female match at Goodison Park. On Boxing Day in 1920, 53,000 watched Kerr Ladies defeat St Helens 4-0.
The first chance fell to Liverpool 12 minutes in, when Megan Campbell’s trademark long throw into the box was only half-cleared. This gave Missy Bo Kearns the chance to shoot from 14 yards out but her effort was hacked clear on its way towards goal.
With a run-up akin to that of an Olympic high jumper, Campbell’s not-so-secret weapon was the Reds’ biggest threat in the early stages.
A delivery of a different kind was key to putting Everton ahead, though.
The Blues’ captain on the night who was making her 100th appearance for the club, Gabby George, received the ball on the left wing and had plenty of time to use her right foot to innocuously loop the ball over the Liverpool keeper, Rachael Laws, and into the far corner of the net.
Whether George meant it or not, only she could tell you.
Just three minutes later, Everton almost doubled their lead but Gemma Bonner was on the line to prevent a certain second from Megan Finnigan’s strike across the keeper.
Despite the Blues holding most of the ball, manager Matt Beard’s side still posed a threat on the break- Kearns and Emma Koivisto both went close.
Five minutes before half time, Katie Stengel equalised for Liverpool as the American just managed to sneak the ball past Everton‘s keeper, Courtney Brosnan, after a tight turn in the penalty area.
Katie StenGOAL delivers for @LiverpoolFCW!#BarclaysWSL pic.twitter.com/EcauG9KAho
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) March 24, 2023
Half time: Everton Women 1-1 Liverpool Women
Shortly after the break, Liverpool thought their hard work had paid off as Leighanne Robe turn home a brilliantly worked corner-kick routine.
However, the celebrating Liverpool faces quickly turned to dismay when the goal was ruled the goal out, for what we can only assume was a soft foul on the goalkeeper.
The Reds were forced to put their bodies on the line during the second half and Everton created dangerous opportunities – Jess Clarke came exceptionally close with a diving header she would have expected to bury.
After 64 minutes, on came Shanice van de Sanden and Jasmine Matthews for the visitors. They replaced Megan Campbell and Yana Daniels to inject some energy into a tiring Liverpool side.
Van de Sanden almost made a quick impact as she brushed aside Rikke Sevecke and set up Stengel to score from six yards. The forward, though, had her sidefooted finish blocked by Finnigan’s falling body.
With 15 minutes left, Liverpool’s Laws was again lobbed but Clarke’s lofted finish didn’t count as she was judged to have handled the ball moments earlier.
The remainder of the match was less exciting as several substitutions and stoppages affected the flow of the game.
That was until seven minutes were added, in which the visitors went close on a couple of occasions.
In the end, there was no win at Goodison for Beard’s Liverpool but they did put in a much-improved showing from their previous 3-0 defeat to Everton, at Anfield earlier this season.
Player of the match: Ceri Holland
Liverpool Women: Laws, Koivisto (Taylor 90+2′), Bonnner, Robe (Roberts 83′), Campbell (Matthews 64′), Hinds (C), Nagano, Holland, Kearns (Lundaard 83′), Daniels (Van de Sanden 64′), Stengel
Subs not used: Cumings, Kirby, Roberts, Lundgaard, Humphrey, Silcock,
Next match: West Ham (A) – WSL – April 2, 5pm (BST)
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