Of their first aggressive match on the St Helens Stadium, Liverpool Girls had been held 1-1 by Leicester Girls within the Girls’s Tremendous League.
Liverpool Girls 1-1 Leicester Girls
WSL (1), St Helens Stadium
September 22, 2024
Targets: Haug 45′; Rantala 53′
Liverpool had been the favourites for the factors coming into the primary sport of the season, having completed fourth within the WSL final season whereas Leicester got here tenth.
There have been Liverpool debuts for 3 summer time signings, as Olivia Smith and Gemma Evans each went straight into Matt Beard’s beginning 11 and Cornelia Kapocs got here off the bench.
All three had been on the St Helens Stadium for the Reds’ pre-season match in opposition to Everton final week that completed 0-0, although Smith was solely there as a spectator following her U20 World Cup marketing campaign with Canada.
The teenager started brightly as she performed as a part of the entrance two in Beard’s 3-5-2 set-up.
Ceri Holland additionally began properly and compelled Leicester‘s Dutch goalkeeper, Lize Kop, into an excellent save from a long-range effort.
Liverpool threatened a number of occasions within the first half, Marie Hobinger with the most effective of the possibilities, nevertheless it took till the stroke of half time for Liverpool to attain.
Once they did, it was Smith’s strike accomplice, Sophie Roman Haug, who received Liverpool’s first aim at their new house, directing a header precisely into the far nook.
Half time: Liverpool Girls 1-0 Leicester Girls
Sophie Roman Haug getting @LiverpoolFCW‘s first aim of their new house ?#BarclaysWSL pic.twitter.com/2BPtWQDx32
— Barclays Girls’s Tremendous League (@BarclaysWSL) September 22, 2024
After the break, Leicester improved and Jutta Rantala’s medical end compelled Beard to behave.
Within the 62nd minute, Mia Enderby got here on for Jenna Clark, that means a change in system because the supervisor introduced on a striker for defender.
Six minutes later, Sophie Lundgaard, who signed a brand new contract this week, got here on for Hobinger in midfield. Quickly after, Smith made manner for Kapocs to make her debut, whereas Leanne Kiernan got here on for Haug.
In the end, these adjustments by no means had the impression Liverpool wished, although, because the Reds’ finest remaining likelihood fell to defender Gemma Bonner who put her header over the crossbar.
Liverpool can be disenchanted to not have gained at house of their first sport, however a victory away at West Ham subsequent Sunday would nonetheless imply the primary week of the season has been a optimistic one.
Participant of the match: Ceri Holland
Liverpool Girls: Legal guidelines; Parry, Clark, Bonner, Evans (Matthews 46′), Hinds; Nagano, Hobinger, Holland; Smith, Haug
Subs not used: Spencer, Fahey, Daniels, Silcock
Subsequent match: West Ham (A) – WSL – Sunday, September 29, 3pm (BST)
