Manchester City Women fought to the end as they defeated a determined and organised Liverpool Women side 4-2 at the Joie Stadium.
City took the lead in the 11th minute after Carlotta Wamser’s cross was slotted home by Lauren Hemp, but Liverpool galvanised and goals from Alice Bergstrom and Vivien Endemann punished the hosts sloppy defending. It looked like Gareth Taylor’s side were going into the break with the lead, but Bunny Shaw had other ideas as she did what all great strikers do and followed onto the loose ball to tap home to send the sides all square at the break.
Andrèe Jeglertz’s side upped the tempo and intensity in the second half and they were rewarded as Grace Clinton’s cross was steered into her own net by Grace Fisk and then deep into stoppage time Hemp was through on goal and made no mistake to ensure City got a vital three points.
.Story of the match
Less than a minute into the game, there was concern for the hosts as Iman Benney went down following a blow to the head, but Benney got her head strapped up and continued on playing.
A few minutes later Hemp nicked the ball off Jenna Clark, drove up the pitch and unleashed a venomous shot that Khiara Keating got her fingertips on to put the ball behind for a City corner.
Shortly after, Manchester City took a well deserved lead, after Alex Greenwood stepped up from defence and sprayed a lovely ball through to Wamser who was racing down the left hand channel, she found Hemp who slotted the ball calmly into the bottom right hand corner.
Despite the visitors only having 26% they found themselves level Just before the 20th minute mark, after Keating’s long ball wasn’t dealt with by City’s defence and Endemann pounced, played a neat through ball to Bergstrom who punished the mistake with an excellent finish.
Ten minutes later, Liverpool were ahead as Endemann went from provider to goal scorer as City’s defensive frailties were punished again following from the cross from the right hand side by Bergstrom and despite Ayaka Yamashita getting a touch on the ball it wasn’t enough to stop the ball going into the net.
Five minutes before the break, City almost were back on level terms when Mary Fowler played an exquisite through ball to Shaw as she beat the offside trap and rounded the on rushing Keating, but her effort from a tight angle hit the post.
In first half stoppage time, Andrée Jeglertz side equalised through Bunny Shaw after some neat play from right to left with Beth Mead and Wamser combining to play in Hemp, whose effort was spilt by Keating and Shaw was there to tap the ball home for her fourth goal of the season.
Three minutes after the restart it was another defensive lapse of concentration for the hosts as Endemann looked to put The Reds back into the league andhad an effort from the edge of the box, however her effort shot the side netting.
Moments later, the visitors had two opportunities to retake the lead after first Bergstrom almost caught Yamashita out at her near post following a cross come shot and then Endemann who was a constantthorn in City’s and in particular Benney’s side as she cut outside and struck an effort that just went over the crossbar.
Just before the hour mark Hemp found herself marauding down the left hand side and played a ball across the box where it was met by Shaw’s foot whose close range effort was brilliantly saved by Keating. Minutes later, Keating was called upon again as she kept out Yui Hasegawa’s cross which nearly looped into the top right hand corner.
Three minutes from the time, Hemp put a ball into the box at the near post for Shaw, but Fisk got a crucial touch on the ball to keep City at bay. Moments later, the hosts found themselves ahead after substitute Grace Clinton’s cross was turned into her own net by Fisk.
In stoppage time, Shaw won the ball back and looked to add a fourth, but although Keating was beaten her effort went just wide of the left hand post and moments later Hemp bagged her brace and sealed the points for City after she raced through on goal and blasted the ball past the helpless Keating.
Deep into injury time Fujino’s cross from the right was met from close range from Shaw, but Keating pulled off an amazing stop to keep City from scoring their fifth of the evening.
