In their first competitive match at the St Helens Stadium, Liverpool Women were held 1-1 by Leicester Women in the Women’s Super League.
Liverpool Women 1-1 Leicester Women
WSL (1), St Helens Stadium
September 22, 2024
Goals: Haug 45′; Rantala 53′
Liverpool were the favourites for the points coming into the first game of the season, having finished fourth in the WSL last season while Leicester came 10th.
There were Liverpool debuts for three summer signings, as Olivia Smith and Gemma Evans both went straight into Matt Beard’s starting 11 and Cornelia Kapocs came off the bench.
All three were at the St Helens Stadium for the Reds’ pre-season match against Everton last week that finished 0-0, though Smith was only there as a spectator following her U20 World Cup campaign with Canada.
The youngster began brightly as she played as part of the front two in Beard’s 3-5-2 set-up.
Ceri Holland also started well and forced Leicester‘s Dutch goalkeeper, Lize Kop, into a good save from a long-range effort.
Liverpool threatened several times in the first half, Marie Hobinger with the best of the chances, but it took until the stroke of half time for Liverpool to score.
When they did, it was Smith’s strike partner, Sophie Roman Haug, who got Liverpool’s first goal at their new home, directing a header accurately into the far corner.
Half time: Liverpool Women 1-0 Leicester Women
Sophie Roman Haug getting @LiverpoolFCW‘s first goal in their new home ?#BarclaysWSL pic.twitter.com/2BPtWQDx32
— Barclays Women’s Super League (@BarclaysWSL) September 22, 2024
After the break, Leicester improved and Jutta Rantala’s clinical finish forced Beard to act.
In the 62nd minute, Mia Enderby came on for Jenna Clark, meaning a change in system as the manager brought on a striker for defender.
Six minutes later, Sophie Lundgaard, who signed a new contract this week, came on for Hobinger in midfield. Soon after, Smith made way for Kapocs to make her debut, while Leanne Kiernan came on for Haug.
Ultimately, these changes never had the impact Liverpool wanted, though, as the Reds’ best remaining chance fell to defender Gemma Bonner who put her header over the crossbar.
Liverpool will be disappointed not to have won at home in their first game, but a victory away at West Ham next Sunday would still mean the first week of the season has been a positive one.
Player of the match: Ceri Holland
Liverpool Women: Laws; Parry, Clark, Bonner, Evans (Matthews 46′), Hinds; Nagano, Hobinger, Holland; Smith, Haug
Subs not used: Spencer, Fahey, Daniels, Silcock
Next match: West Ham (A) – WSL – Sunday, September 29, 3pm (BST)
