Charlton: NA
Liverpool: Shaw 115’
Pre-Match
Liverpool enter the Women’s FA Cup quarterfinals in a fine run of form. The Reds are unbeaten in their last four matches, including dispatching crosstown rivals Everton twice during that spell in both the FA Cup and the WSL. There seems to be some real momentum now, and the club has a favorable match up against lower league Charlton with a chance to progress to the semifinals of the cup. Charlton, for their part, are in an extremely tight race with Birmingham City as they look to win the WSL 2 and earn
the automatic promotion spot.
Gareth Taylor has made a few changes in what should still be a very strong squad. Alice Bergstrom makes her return from injury as she makes her debut at right back after featuring as an attacker prior to her injury. Lily Woodham gets a run out at left back, with Gemma Evans replacing Grace Fisk at center back as the club captain serves a red card suspension.
Denise O’Sullivan also returns to a starting role after returning from injury last week. Kirsty MacLean continues her run of games in midfield as Cornelia Kapocs gets a chance to play as a wide forward with Ceri Holland missing out. Aurélie Csillag gets a run out as the point striker as Beata Olsson starts from the bench.
Along with Fisk and Holland, Anna Josendal and Gemma Bonners are also not in the squad today. There are several Academy players on the bench to fill out the squad, and Zara Shaw makes her first matchday squad since tearing her ACL.
First Half
The referee calls Fuka Nagano for an extremely soft foul as she battles for the ball in the opening minute, and then refuses to call a foul as Lily Woodham has blatantly shoved down from behind while shielding the ball out. This could be fun.
Liverpool with their first real attacking sequence in the sixth minute, and the Reds almost break through. Alice Bergstrom started a move down the right side that sees Mia Enderby released down the right touch line. The winger plays a good ball into the box for Cornelia Kapocs, but the Swedes shot is blocked. Liverpool retain possession and work it around to Lily Woodham on the left, and her cross was sent to the back post for the head of Mia Enderby. The English attacker puts it on frame, but Sophie Whitehouse makes a great save to push it over the bar for a corner.
Just a couple of minutes later, Mia Enderby again gets the ball into a dangerous area as she receives the ball in the box. She quickly turns and tries to get a shot away, but it is blocked out. So much better movement and passing from Liverpool after struggling to get hold of the ball over the first five minutes.
Charlton are definitely making an account for themselves in the early going. The hosts are moving the ball well up the pitch and are getting it into some dangerous areas in and around the Liverpool box. They get their first shot on goal away, but thankfully Jennifer Falk smothers the opportunity.
The match has been fairly back and fourth as the referee has allowed plenty of physical play to occur. Liverpool have generated a couple of decent opportunities. The latest comes as Mia Enderby combines with Alice Bergstrom, with the right back carrying the ball forward down the right wing and getting a cross away under pressure. The ball drifts towards the near post and forces Whitehouse to run over and catch the ball.
Charlton have been very aggressive and physical pressuring the ball. Liverpool have struggled to keep hold at times, turning the ball over and allowing Charlton to stream forward in the attack.
Liverpool within a whisker of opening the scoring midway through the first half. Alice Bergstrom again gets down the right wing and sends in a fantastic driven cross. A defender attempts to head it clear, but the pace on the ball sees it skim off the head of the defender and up off the crossbar.
Denise O’Sullivan becomes the latest Liverpool player to get an attempt at goal. She also is on the receiving end of a cross from Lily Woodham on the left, sending her header just over the bar.
Alice Bergstrom is doing a lot of positive work to attack from her right back role, but she still has work to do positionally and with decision making. She is getting caught forward frequently, and is overcommitting to challenges and leaving space behind her.
With 10 minutes to play in the first half, Liverpool again get the ball to Mia Enderby on the right flank. She cuts inside in the box and gets a shot away, but it is blocked and the chance goes begging again.
Gemma Evans has had a nice half stepping in for Grace Fisk. The veteran defender has done well to time her tackles when needed, and has been smart with her pressure to slow down counters.
BIG MISS! Liverpool have a huge chance at the end of the first half as Cornelia Kapocs plays a ball into the middle with both Aurélie Csillag and Denis O’Sullivan making runs. The ball ends with O’Sullivan who pops the ball up with her first touch and drops again to her just a yard from goal, but her sliding attempt pops up and over the bar from a spot that would seem to be a sure goal.
That’s the last real action of the half as the two sides go into the break level. Liverpool have certainly had the better of the opportunities, creating 4 big chances in the half. The Reds settled into the match as the half wore on and dominated possession, but Charlton showed they could be a threat on the counter.
Second Half
No changes for Liverpool to start the second half. Beata Olsson and Martha Thomas are very nice attacking options off the bench should they be needed.
Liverpool with some early attacking pressure and they get the ball into the center of the box for Aurélie Csillag. the ball is poked away and partially cleared, but Mia Enderby does a great job to race back and win the ball just ahead of a Charlton player to retain possession in the attacking half.
Liverpool are getting plenty or crosses into the box (it is Easter after all). The latest cross comes from Alice Bergstrom on the right, and there are three Liverpool players who all converge on the ball and block each other out.
Liverpool again feel aggrieved by a couple of decisions by the referee. Aurélie Csillag gets pulled down by her shirt in the box as she tries to get on the end of a dangerous cross. A minute later, Cornelia Kapocs is whistled for a foul in the attacking third despite not having a body part within a foot of the Charlton player who tripped over the ball. Kapocs would have had a clean run into the left edge of the box had the whistle not gone.
Gareth Taylor makes his first changes of the match in the 57th minute. Beata Olsson, Martha Thomas, and Alejandra Bernabé come on in a triple swap. Aurélie Csillag, Denise O’Sullivan, and Lily Woodham come off. Cornelia Kapocs will likely drop into a midfield role with O’Sullivan being withdrawn.
Alice Bergstrom is sending in cross after cross, and almost connects with both Olsson and Thomas with a great driven ball. The ball is just too high for Olsson and skims just past the sliding foot of Thomas in another chance that goes begging. Any touch from either attacker would have likely resulted in at least a shot on target.
It’s been one way traffic for Liverpool this half. They have not made it count to this point. Better hope this doesn’t come back to bite them.
Mia Enderby wins Liverpool’s third corner kick of the match. The ball comes in and finds the feet Jenna Clark near the top of the box, but the defender has too heavy of a touch and the ball is cleared away. A minute later, Liverpool earn a free kick that is cleared behind for another corner kick. The chance again falls to Clark from the corner, this time a very difficult opportunity as she was moving away from goal with the ball high and away from her outstretched foot.
Mia Enderby earns another foul as she races towards the box and is clipped from behind. Mia Ross is shown a yellow for the foul. The set piece goes beyond everyone and Jenna Clark has to get to the end line and head the ball backwards to keep it in play. Liverpool again cannot get a shot away from the opportunity.
Gareth Taylor makes another change as Liverpool try to find the all important break through. Alice Bergstrom comes off, with Risa Shimizu replacing her in a like for like change.
Liverpool immediately get the ball in the goal from the restart, but it is quickly chalked off for offside. Beata Olsson was clearly off when she backheel flicked the ball into he net.
Liverpool have a throw on the left side shortly after the goal is disallowed. Sophie Whitehouse goes down before the ball goes back in play grabbing her calf and the match is halted so she can be seen to. Charlton players happily go over to get some fluids and a quick word from their manager.
Some nice interplay by Liverpool as they work it around ends up with a Risa Shimizu cross by the end line being blocked out for a corner kick. The ball in is driven to the near post and headed behind for another corner. Charlton are able to head clear the second attempt and the ball ends up going back to the midfield stripe as Liverpool recycle possession.
We are closing in on the end of regulation time in the second half and Liverpool have done very little to trouble Sophie Whitehouse in goal despite having massive amounts of possession and seemingly to get the ball into dangerous areas frequently. Pretty disappointing from an attacking standpoint.
There will be 7 minutes of added on time. If neither side can find a goal, the match will go to extra time and then potentially penalty kicks.
Mia Enderby is fouled as she tries to get to a ball down the right channel. Liverpool play it short and move the angle around before a lofted cross is headed clear.
Liverpool again stream forward in the attack. Martha Thomas makes a great run to receive a slip pass from Kirsty MacLean and then cuts past a defender in the box. Thomas goes for goal, but she’s just off balance enough she can’t get any real power on the shot and puts it right at Whitehouse for an easy save.
Jennifer Falk has had pretty much nothing to do all match until Charlton make a late go of it. A ball is lofted into the box with several players lurking, so Falk comes out to claim the ball under pressure. She can’t get a clean handle on the ball first time, but quickly corrals it on the bounce to keep possession. The referee whistles for the end of the second half. We’re going to extra time, folks.
Extra Time
It’s worth noting that Gareth Taylor is left with a few Academy players on the bench as reinforcements for extra time. If a change is needed, it will be some very inexperienced players coming on in a very big moment.
Charlton start of extra time and hold the ball in the Liverpool half as the Reds look to clear it. A ball over the top has to be touched behind by Jenna Clark to give Charlton their first corner kick of the match. Liverpool deal with the threat and get back on the attack.
Mia Enderby goes down with a cramp after earning Liverpool’s 8th corner kick of the match. Lots of players struggling right now on both sides.
The corner in goes past several players, bouncing in the box before Alejandra Bernabé meets it on the volley. She strikes it sweetly and sends it towards goal, but it flies just past the near post. Very good strike by Bernabé.
There is another delay as a Charlton player goes down after the corner kick sequence. The hosts are forced into a change after a couple minute delay. Gareth Taylor also elects to make a change as Zara Shaw makes her return from an ACL injury. Shaw comes on for Mia Enderby.
Liverpool immediately get on the attack from the restart, with Beata Olsson carrying the ball down the middle of the pitch. She tries a shot from distance that has Sophie Witehouse scrambling to get across. The ball goes just wide of the far post.
Another attacking sequence from Liverpool as Jenna Clark starts by bringing the ball forward from the back. A few passes later, the ball is at the feet of Martha Thomas in a pocket of space outside of the box, and her shot is deflected out for a corner.
CLEARED OFF THE LINE! Liverpool again almost have the break through. The corner in causes a scramble and Jenna Clark heads it towards the goal. It is headed off the line, and Liverpool recycle possession. Another ball is sent in by Kirsty MacLean, and Jenna Clark’s header goes wide of the net.
Zara Shaw gets involved and sends a really nice pass into the box that a Charlton defender just gets a foot to ahead of an attacker, and the ball is deflected back for Whitehouse to catch. The referee blows for the end of the first half of extra time.
Liverpool lose possession in the attacking half and Charlton look to quickly counter in a 2v2 situation. Jenna Clark does a fantastic job to read the play and get in position to shield the ball and calmly play it back to Jennifer Falk in net.
Some nice ball movement from Liverpool sees Cornelia Kapcos get the ball deep on the right wing. She takes the ball to the end line and sends a fizzing cross that flies dangerously past everyone. A moment later, Kapocs again has the ball and puts in another great cross. This time it finds the head of Beata Olsson, but the striker puts the ball over the net.
Another ball in from the right, this time a more lofted cross. Martha Thomas challenges for the header, but Sophie Whitehouse shows good hand strength to catch and hold the ball.
GOAL LIVERPOOL!!!! It’s a wild sequence from yet another corner kick, starting with Jenna Clark hitting the post from an initial header, and then hitting the crossbar again with a another header during the ensuing scrum in the box as the ball bounced around. Zara Shaw manage to get her leg out and somehow make connection with the ball as it went past her, managing to redirect it on goal with a volley with enough power to deflect off a defender and give Liverpool the lead! What a story it is too for Shaw as she makes her return from her second ACL injury.
Charlton are throwing everything they have forward now. A ball over the top is enticing for the attackers to run onto, but Jennifer Falk is able to get out and catch it just ahead of them.
Only one minute of added on time here. Liverpool just need to hold on.
And that’s it, the final whistle has gone!
Final Thoughts
Liverpool did more than enough to win the match, but it took until the 115th minute for the Reds to break the deadlock. Over all, Gareth Taylor’s side produced 4.11 xG off of 26 shots and 8 big chances. It never should have taken extra time to advance, but the job is now done. Zara Shaw will be the hero on the day with the match winner, and what a story it is for her on her return from injury. With the win, Liverpool now advance to the semifinals of the Women’s FA Cup. The semifinal matchups will be drawn tomorrow.
Liverpool players will now disperse for an international break. They will have just three league matches upon returning, with a massive fixture against West Ham as the first fixture. A win against the Hammers will all but assure Gareth Taylor and his side safety and another season in the WSL.
