ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL — Liverpool Women produced a clinical performance in front of goal to beat Manchester United in the Women’s Super League (WSL), with Olivia Smith starring as the Reds won at Anfield for the first time.
Liverpool, who parted ways with manager Matt Beard at the end of last month, has now won each of its three games under its interim boss Amber Whiteley. It first won 1-0 at Crystal Palace, then qualified for the Women’s FA Cup semi-finals by winning away from home at Arsenal, and has now beaten Manchester United in front of around 15,000 fans. Winning here, Whitely became the first Liverpool Women’s manager to win both of her first two matches in charge.
After being under the cosh for almost the whole half, Liverpool opened the scoring with its second shot of the game. Canadian forward Smith, who became the first Liverpool women’s player to score at Anfield last October, beat two players out wide and smashed a shot into the far corner of the USWNT’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce’s goal.
Five minutes later — with a third shot of the game — Liverpool moved 2-0 in front with Fuka Nagano finishing well when Samantha Kerr squared having been set free down the right-hand side. While they hadn’t seen much of the ball, the Reds had successfully limited the Manchester United threat and countered well.
Liverpool was more involved in the game in the second half. The Kop chanted “Penalty” in unison when Smith went down under a challenge that was never going to result in a spot-kick before Jenna Clark had slightly more of a shout a few minutes later.
The home fans didn’t need to shout for a third time when Alejandra Bernade was brought down by Jayde Riviere inside the area and referee Amy Fearn pointed to the spot without hesitation. Smith stepped up and made no mistake.
Sophie Roman Haug, Marie Hobinger, and captain Taylor Hinds impressed, but it was Smith — who went off to a standing ovation — who was central to everything Liverpool did going forward. She now has six goals this season and at 20 years of age, looks a real livewire.
Manchester United, who pulled a goal back through Maya Le Tissier with only a minute of normal time remaining, is still second in the WSL standings. With six games remaining, the gap at the top to Chelsea is eight points — with Liverpool potentially having just ended any lingering hopes of the Red Devils overhauling that gap.
