Liverpool Women fell to their Manchester United counterparts on Saturday. An early goal from Julia Zigiotti was the difference between the two teams. Zigiotti scored after a terrible misstep from Liverpool goalkeeper Khiara Keating. Keating received a back pass on the edge of the box under zero pressure and served it straight to Zigiotti, instead of the intended target of Kirsty Maclean. Keating couldn’t scramble back to her goal in time and Zigiotti took advantage and lobbed it over her head and into
the goal.
The Reds then spent the next 84 minutes and change chasing the game to no avail. They got close a few times, but unfortunately United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce had the opposite of Keating’s day. She denied both Cornelia Kapocs and Beata Olsson in quick succession at around the 20 minute mark.
Manchester United player Jess Park then his the crossbar. Olsson nearly equalized at the end of the first half, but her effort was tipped over the bar by Tullis-Joyce.
In the second half, there the Reds put on pressure, particularly in the dying minutes, but they couldn’t find a way through the Manchester United defense. Alejandra Bernabé had a shot easily caught by Tullis-Joyce in the 56th minute.
In all, the two teams seemed pretty evenly matched, aside from Keating’s uncharacteristic mistake to gift United a goal.
Liverpool now have seven points from their first five matches, failing to pick up points against both Manchester teams. It leaves them currently in fifth place after wins against Charlton and Everton and a draw with Tottenham. It’s a respectable start, especially considering this have been their first shut out of the burgeoning season. They’ve scored nine goals in five league games, and a whopping 17 goals including their two League Cup group stage wins. Considering the fact that they barely survived relegation back to the second tier last season, there’s plenty to be optimistic about so far.
The Manchester United match was the last before the October international break, so Liverpool don’t play again until traveling to Aston Villa on October 18th.
