Liverpool: Olsson 33’
Chelsea: Thompson 9’
Pre-Match
The Liverpool FC Women have a gargantuan task on their hands as they look to build on their first point of the season last time out. The Reds face a Chelsea side that is chasing history, looking to reach a record 34th consecutive match unbeaten. Liverpool were actually the last team to beat Chelsea in the WSL, winning the opening match of 2024. The Blues are also looking to keep pace with Manchester City, who went four points clear in the standings on Saturday ahead of this match.
Gareth Taylor makes
only one change to the side that drew with Brighton last Sunday. Risa Shimizu is not in the side, so Gemma Evans steps into the starting lineup in her stead. Evans will play as a central defender, with Grace Fisk kicking out to right back.
First Half
Chelsea slice through the Liverpool midfield and defense in the opening minute, with Alyssa Thompson sent free down the left wing before bringing others into play. The ball is played inside to Erin Cuthbert in the middle of the box, but the Scot’s shot thankfully goes wide.
Liverpool generate a turnover in the attacking half and immediately play the ball forward into the box for Ceri Holland. Livia Peng comes flying out of her net to slide in and collect the ball just ahead of Holland.
Liverpool are pressing well so far. Mia Enderby collects a ball in the left channel and looks to play in Cornelia Kapocs as the Swede charges into the box, but Enderby’s pass is just too strong.
Goal Chelsea. The Blues get forward quickly with a ball from midfield through for Alyssa Thompson on the left wing. Fuka Nagano races back to defend, but she stands too far off the American, worried about her speed. Thompson takes advantage of the space given and quickly cuts inside and unleashes a brilliant shot that flies past Faye Kirby and into the far top corner in the 9th minute.
Liverpool again are in possession in the attacking half. There’s some scruffy play from both sides, but Sam Kerr is quickest to react to a loose ball after a tackle from Ceri Holland pops the ball free and collects it about 20 yards from goal. She takes a first time strike from outside of the box but the shot is low and too close to Peng in net to give the goalkeeper any real trouble.
Liverpool are making an account for themselves here. The Reds continue to string together passes and are moving the ball up the pitch to generate attacking opportunities. In the most recent sequence, Lily Woodham releases Mia Enderby down the left wing. The young attacker carries the ball to the left edge of the box before cutting past a defender and driving a cross into the box. It’s cut out by a defender, but some solid play.
Enderby is fouled just inside the left touch line about 25 yards from goal. Lily Woodham drives a free kick deep past the far post, looking for the head of Grace Fisk. Cat Macario gets a head to it first, flicking it out for a throw in.
GOAL LIVERPOOL!!!! Beat Olsson has her third goal in three matches to finish off a sensational counter attack. It all started from within their own box after Lily Woodham intercepts a pass near the top of the box and charged forward with the ball with only a few Chelsea players back. Woodham plays the ball to Beata Olsson, who returns the ball back to the fullback. Olsson turns and sprints into space, and Woodham plays a leading ball through into space. Olsson is free to carry the ball into the box with only the goalkeeper in front of her. The Swede calmly strikes the ball past Peng into the net as the keeper advances on her to give Liverpool the equalizer in the 33rd minute.
Chelsea close to finding the lead again after some loose play in the box from Liverpool. The first ball in for Keira Walsh down the right flank looks offside, but not flag goes up. A bit of a scramble in the box ensues with multiple Liverpool players getting a touch but unable to fully control or clear the ball. Cat Macario sees a deflection off of Jenna Clark fall to her in the middle of the box, but her shot goes wide of the net.
Only one minute of extra time added to the first half. Gemma Evans with a crafty veteran move to let a ball run by her and take the contact of a challenge from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd to earn a foul deep in the Liverpool half. The foul is the last action in the half as the referee blows for halftime.
No surprise that Chelsea have had more possession, but Liverpool have made an account for themselves and have played without too much fear and gotten the ball forward decently. There are still too many missed connections at times with players not quite on the same page or slow to react to a pass, but overall it has been a fairly good showing. On the defensive side, there are definitely gaps that Chelsea have been able to exploit, especially with the pace of Alyssa Thompson down the left wing. Liverpool will need to tighten up if they want to stay in this match.
Second Half
No changes for Liverpool to start the half, but Sonia Bompastor makes two changes at the break. Aggie Beaver-Jones and Naomi Girma both come on in place of Cat Macario and Millie Bright respectively.
Liverpool ear their first corner of the match after Sam Kerr and Lily Woodham combine on the left wing, with Woodham sending in a cross the falls to Ceri Holland near the top of the box. Holland gets a shot off, but it is deflected over the goal. The resulting corner kick goes past a flailing Peng and comes to Grace Fisk at the back post. Naomi Girma gets just enough of a flick on the ball before Fisk, meaning that Fisk’s header goes off target.
After some positive play from Liverpool, it’s again a but hairy on the defensive end as Chelsea apply pressure in the attack. Aggie Beaver-Jones pushes the ball past Fuka Nagano in the box and then goes down, but there was no contact at all from the Liverpool midfielder and thankfully the referee had a great view. The sequence ends with a shot from Alyssa Thompson that goes high over the crossbar.
Aggie Beaver-Jones puts the ball in the net, but the lineswoman immediately has the flag up for offside. The replay shows the Chelsea striker was clearly past Jenna Clark as the last defender. Just moments later Beaver-Jones is again in behind the Liverpool defense, but this time she has held her run. Faye Kirby races out to try and get to the ball ahead of Beaver-Jones, but the Chelsea player gets there first and pops the ball over the goalkeeper with an open net behind her. The ball bounces just an inch wide of the far post.
Liverpool are struggling to get hold of and keep the ball midway through the second half. Chelsea have made four total changes while Liverpool have made none, and there is a definite difference in the pace of play. Liverpool are starting to sit off more, allowing longer spells of possession for Chelsea in the attacking half.
Make that five changes. Lauren James has now come on for the Blues. She joins Sandy Baltimore and Lucy Bronze who entered the fray as well.
Liverpool finally get a high press going again after Mia Enderby is beat out for a ball on the left wing. Enderby pressures Ellie Carpenter, who passes it inside to the goalkeeper Peng. Beata Olsson races forward to pressure Peng, and the goalkeeper takes a poor touch and carries the ball over the end line to concede a corner kick. Nothing comes of the corner for the Reds, unfortunately.
Liverpool get forward after a great early diagonal ball for Fuka Nagano finds the run of Beata Olsson on the right. The Reds recycle possession and move the ball to the left side. Both Sam Kerr and Lily Woodham are there to challenge for the ball, with Woodham being the player to end up with the ball. The left back drives a quick shot at goal, and the ball sneaks past the goalkeeper but goes just wide of the far post.
Faye Kirby is down with an ankle issue after collecting a ball. Kirby hops up after treatment and is ok to continue in net.
Some rear guard defending from Liverpool in the final few minutes of regulation. The Reds are doing well to stay compact around the box and clog up passing and shooting lanes to deny dangerous opportunities. Fuka Nagano steps forward well to cut a pass out and relieve pressure.
There will be at least four minutes of extra time. Liverpool doing everything they can to see the match out to take a hard-earned point.
Forget a point, Liverpool are looking for the win after Ceri Holland wins the ball off of Sandy Baltimore and the Reds break forward with numbers. Holland keeps the ball herself rather than pass and cuts inside twice past players before getting a shot off, but the ball is blocked on the way to net. There are a couple of challenges for the ball and it goes out for a Liverpool throw. Another moment of possession before Chelsea take the ball away.
A brilliant bit of defending from Fuka Nagano again. She reads the play well in her own box and comes across to tackle the ball away on the end line, getting a ricochet to give Liverpool a goal kick.
Chelsea try to find a last-gasp way through, but Liverpool again are there to win the ball in the back and clear it away. That will do it as the referee blows for full time.
Final Thoughts
That was a very solid performance from Liverpool against an extremely good Chelsea side. The Reds did not look or play scared, and they caused Chelsea quite a few problems in transition as well as with some decent spells of possession in the attacking half. Liverpool have also seemingly found their talisman up front as Beata Olsson scored her third goal across three straight matches.
Despite a hard earned point against a top team in the league, Liverpool are now last in the WSL. West Ham trounced Everton 3-1, giving them a two point advantage over the Reds. Liverpool will have a week off of WSL play, and will face Sheffield United next Saturday in the FA Women’s League Cup. The next WSL match will be on December 6, with a trip to London to face Arsenal on the books after an international break.
