Liverpool: O’Sullivan 11’, Olsson 22’
Brighton: Vanegas 23’, Haley 54’, Noordam 95’
Pre-Match
The Liverpool FC Women have a shot to make the FA Cup Finals today, with Brighton the only thing standing in their way. In what has been a season of change, frustration, and disappointment for the Reds, to make it to Wembley would be a modicum of joy. Brighton, for their part, have been in very strong form on the back end of the season. The Seagulls have gone unbeaten in their last six matches, including draws with Arsenal and Manchester United after beating Manchester City in league play. Brighton beat Arsenal in the FA Cup Quarterfinals.
Gareth Taylor welcomes back Cornelia Kapocs, who missed her first match through injury in the late loss to Manchester City. Kapocs slots into a wide forward role in place of Mia Enderby. Beata Olsson slides up to the point striker in place of Aurélie Csillag, with Kirsty MacLean getting a start as the attacking midfielder.
First Half
Liverpool get hold of the ball from the initial kick off and quickly start pinging passes around to keep possession for the opening few minutes. A nice move sees the ball come to Beata Olsson near the end line, and the Swedish striker earns a corner after seeing her cut back pass blocked behind. The ball in causes some problems and falls to Denise O’Sulliven after a little scramble, but the Irish midfielder is flagged for offside.
Brighton get the ball forward quickly and the ball is fed into the path of Fran Kirby in the box. Jennifer Falk has to come out of her goal to cut down the angle and Kirby looks to put the ball across towards the far post, but Risa Shimizu made the covering run and is able to put the ball behind before a Brighton attacker can tap the ball in. Liverpool deal with the resulting corner kick.
The game has really opened up now with both sides flying forward with the ball. Liverpool get the ball down the left wing to Ceri Holland, and the Welsh attacker sends in a delicious cross. Denise O’Sullivan times her run perfectly and has a free header from close range, but she just manages to have the ball come off her shoulder rather than her head and the ball goes wide of the net.
Ceri Holland races forward to get on the ball with Brighton goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie caught out of her net. Holland is not able to get the initial shot away as defenders fly back to get in the way, but she beats one player before seeing a shot blocked behind for a corner.
GOAL LIVERPOOL!!! The pressure pays off as Denise O’Sullivan makes no mistake this time. The initial corner is partially cleared, but Liverpool retain possession and cycle the ball right back to Ceri Holland on the left. Her cross again finds the head of O’Sullivan, and this time the midfielder buries the effort from close range in the 11th minute!
Brighton are eager in the press when Liverpool are passing the ball around the back in the defensive third. It almost pays off as Jennifer Falk dallies a little too long and sees a sliding effort partially block the ball right in front of her own net. Thankfully for Liverpool, the ball is deflected wide of the goal and is recovered by the Reds. That easily could have gone in the net.
Liverpool are doing their own press in the attacking third. Ceri Holland does well to force and initial turnover on the left but she just can’t bring the ball under her spell. A second deflection created by Jenna Clark pops into the air and bounces in the box invitingly for Holland who smashes a shot that goes just wide of the post.
GOAL LIVERPOOL!!! Just moments after the Reds felt they had earned a penalty kick for a hand ball in the box, Beata Olsson puts the ball into the net to alleviate any potential controversy. The penalty shout occurred near the top of the box, but play continued with Ceri Holland gathering the ball and driving down the left edge of the box. She centers the ball and causes a scramble in the middle of the box. Cornelia Kapocs gets a touch to it and pushes it towards Beata Olsson. The Swede takes a touch and smashes the ball home from eight yards out.
Goal Brighton. Just a minute after scoring, Liverpool concede a simple goal from a corner kick. Two players miss the set piece in and it ends up bouncing by the far post, deflecting off the shin of Cornelia Kapocs and into the path of Manuela Vanegas. The Brighton left back gets a quick shot away the nestles into the back of the net to close the gap to a goal.
Liverpool get right back into the swing of things after conceding, and fashion a couple of decent opportunities over the next 10 minutes. Brighton are still causing problems on the counter attack, however, and earn a free kick in the left channel that the Reds do just enough to deal with.
A rare attack down the right flank for Liverpool sees Cornelia Kapocs sent free down the channel. She has runners into the box and sends in an early cross for Beata Olsson, but the ball is turned behind for a corner. The ball in is partially cleared, with Liverpool again retaining possession before a second corner is earned. This time the ball in is headed out to Alejandra Bernabé at the top of the box. The Spanish left back sorts her feet just enough to volley the ball over the defenders and the hand of the leaping goalkeeper, but the ball just skims the top of the crossbar.
Huge save by Jennifer Falk just before the halftime whistle. Ceri Holland initially does well to slow down the attack of Kiko Seike, but the Japanese winger gets a second go at it after Brighton moves the ball around a couple of players and put it through for her in the box. She has the angle on Holland this time and advances on Falk, trying to beat the goalkeeper at the near post. Falk does well to get a foot to the shot and deflect it away from the net. The referee blows for half time as soon as the ball goes out for a goal kick from a follow up header that goes well over the crossbar.
Second Half
Liverpool immediately get right back into the attack, with Ceri Holland whipping in yet another cross from the left. The ball is headed behind for a corner. The ball in is a deep delivery that finds Grace Fisk, and the defender heads the ball towards goal. It clearly is deflected off the leg of a defender before going out just wide of the post, but the referee somehow calls it a goal kick.
Ceri Holland goes into the book for a professional foul as she slows down a counter attack with a fistful of the attacker’s shirt. Holland will have to be careful the rest of the match, which could very much impact Liverpool’s press.
Brighton off the post. A simple square ball in is hit first time by Kirby from close range, but the ball slams off the near post and back into play. Liverpool touch it out for a corner, and this time the Reds are able to handle the set piece.
Goal Brighton. The Seagulls have very much had the upper hand after Liverpool’s very early chance and have translated the pressure into a goal. Kiko Seiko delivers a good ball to the back post and Madison Haley overpowers Risa Shimizu at the back post to get to the header from close range that also beats Jennifer Falk as she tries to fly across the goal.
Denise O’Sullivan now goes in the book as Liverpool are looking all out of sorts. The Reds need to get some sort of control back here. Plenty of attacking options on the bench for Gareth Taylor if he is looking for a spark to get back into it.
Brighton earn a corner kick in the 60th minute and Gareth Taylor decides to make his first change of the match. Alice Bergstrom comes on for Risa Shimizu at right back before the set piece is taken.
Denise O’Sullivan is down now, just moments after turning the ball over and then fouling to stop a counter. Aurélie Csillag is being readied to come on. The switch is made as O’Sullivan is helped off the pitch.
Kiko Seike is causing problems again for Liverpool. She beats Ceri Holland and drives into the box before unleashing a shot from a tight angle. Jennifer Falk has to get a hand to the ball as it flies past her to guide it out for a corner. The set piece in causes Liverpool problems, but is ultimately put behind for a goal kick.
Liverpool are messing about in the back with loose passes under pressure as they look to clear an attack. The ball is turned over yet again and a quick shot is deflected off a defender and the ball loops just over the crossbar for another corner kick. Liverpool clear the initial effort, but it is Brighton again who retains possession and starts another attack.
Liverpool with a rare foray forward in the second half and the ball is worked down the left flank before being shifted to Kirsty MacLean. The midfielder carries the ball into the box, jinking past one defender before playing the ball into the center in an attempt to get it to Beata Olsson. Brighton do just enough to get the ball away.
Ceri Holland is down now holding her right knee. She was limping earlier after a challenge. It would be a huge blow to lose Holland, Liverpool’s most consistent playmaker. Mia Enderby is getting instructions and looks like she will be coming on here.
Holland limps off and Mia Enderby replaces her in the 77th minute. Let’s hope Mia can have a positive effect with the match in the balance.
Golden chance for Liverpool goes begging. Aurélie Csillag gathers the ball down the left wing and beats her initial defender. She’s got only the goal in front of her, but it is a tight angle and Mia Enderby makes the run for a square ball. Csillag elects to shoot and goes for power, but she cannot beat Nnadozie at the near post.
Liverpool are starting to get back into it now and see a penalty shout denied. Kirsty MacLean shows some good footwork to get past a player and looks like she is pretty clearly tripped down inside the top of the box. The referee stares at the challenge and does nothing.
Just moments later Liverpool get another crack at things, with Aurélie Csillag seeing an effort deflected over the bar for a corner kick. Csillag is whistled for a foul on the set piece despite being hauled down. Gareth Taylor is incensed and lets the referee know about it. He is shown a yellow card.
Five minutes of added on time to see if either side can find a winner in regulation. If not, we go to extra time and potentially penalties.
Mia Enderby with a needless foul deep into stoppage time to give away a free kick in a dangerous area. The ball is in the left channel about 25 yards from goal.
Goal Brighton. The ball is whipped in and only cleared as far as Nadine Noordam near the penalty spot. The midfielder smashes the ball through a sea of legs and into the net for a a go ahead goal in the 95th minute.
Liverpool get the ball forward from the kickoff in a last gasp attempt, but the ball is claimed by Nnadozie. The referee blows the whistle and Liverpool’s run in the FA Cup is over.
Final Thoughts
What a gut punch. Liverpool played so well in the first half to take a deserved lead, with the only blemish being a soft goal given from a corner kick. The Reds struggled to get things going for much of the second half, however, with some extremely sloppy passing putting the side under pressure in key moments. Brighton’s equalizer was deserved, and they did seem to be the more likely side to find a way through for much of the half. Liverpool created some very good chances later in the half, however, and will rue not finding the net. They also will be frustrated not to be awarded what looked to be a clear penalty. Ultimately, it was yet another very late goal that sunk Gareth Taylor’s side to knock them out of the cup and a chance to go to Wembley for the final.
With the loss, Liverpool now have only one match left to play this season. The Reds are assured safety and have nothing left to play for other than pride and a chance to finish 10th instead of 11th next Saturday. Gareth Taylor will have a difficult task to end the season on a high note as the Reds host Arsenal at Anfield. The venerable stadium has been a house of horrors for the Women’s side, with losses to Everton and Manchester City already this season occurring at the historic ground.
