A brilliant solo goal from Olivia Smith helped Liverpool to a much-needed 2-1 win over Brighton in the Women’s Super League.
Liverpool Women 2-1 Brighton Women
WSL (11), St Helens Stadium
January 17, 2025
Goals: Smith 31′, Carabali OG 82′; Parris 66′
With manager Matt Beard forced to sit in the stand due to picking up three touchline bookings, Amber Whiteley called the shots from the technical area.
Having not played for almost a month due to the winter break and last weekend’s FA Cup tie against West Ham falling victim to the weather, Liverpool almost conceded in the very early stages as goalkeeper Teagan Micah looked to be feeling the cold.
As the half went on, though, Liverpool grew in stature and so did Smith’s confidence.
The Reds got their first goal thanks to an exceptional solo run from the 20-year-old that she finished superbly past opposition goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley.
Simply stunning from Olivia Smith ???
The Canadian nets the first #BarclaysWSL goal of 2025! pic.twitter.com/MoHEPer04z
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) January 17, 2025
Her strength and burst of speed to beat Guro Bergsvand was a real exhibition of the Canadian’s raw power and youthful fearlessness.
Fired up by the injustice of being continually fouled with little consequence, she nearly scored a similar goal soon after but dragged her shot across goal and wide on this occasion.
Despite being ahead, Liverpool made a change at the break, bringing centre-half Jenna Clark on for right wing-back Lucy Parry. Grace Fisk filled Parry’s position to allow the substitute to play her usual role on the right of Beard’s back three.
Hit home by @lilkeets ?#BarclaysWSL @BHAFCWomen pic.twitter.com/8T0KKS8s7Q
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) January 17, 2025
With Liverpool in control, the Reds made three more changes on the hour mark, bringing off Smith, Cornelia Kapocs and debutant Sam Kerr for Mia Enderby, Leanne Kiernan and Marie Hobinger.
The latter received the largest applause of the trio after she signed a new contract on Thursday.
The two striking substitutes, Enderby and Kiernan, then immediately almost combined for a second, but the former’s low cross found the narrow gap between teammate and post.
Liverpool were made to pay for Enderby’s inaccuracy just moments later as Brighton went down the other end and scored a fortuitous equaliser, thanks to a severely deflected Nikita Parris effort that looped over Micah and into the net.
Not to be deterred, Enderby continued to cause trouble with her pace down the right channel and it was this area that Liverpool exploited for their winner.
FT: Liverpool claim all three points at home! pic.twitter.com/Cxs3sSya3N
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) January 17, 2025
After Poppy Pattinson was booked, to the delight of the crowd who had booed her incessantly as a result of her duels with Smith, Liverpool went ahead.
With 10 minutes to go, Liverpool took advantage of their superiority down the right, thanks to a drilled cross from Fisk that was inadvertently turned into her own net by Brighton‘s Jorelyn Carabali.
The result takes the Reds into sixth place, five points behind the visitors. Perhaps more important than the points though was the positivity provoked thanks to the win.
This victory, combined with key players returning from injury and new faces in the squad, could help Liverpool reclaim some form after a disappointing first half of the campaign.
Player of the Match: Olivia Smith
Liverpool Women: Micah; Parry (Clark 46′), Fisk, Silcock (Bonner 87′), Evans, Hinds; Nagano, Kerr (Hobinger 62′), Holland; Smith (Kiernan 62′), Kapocs (Enderby 62′)
Subs not used: Laws, Daniels, Bartel, Shaw
Next match: Leicester (A) – WSL – Sunday, January 26, 3pm (GMT)
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