Liverpool FC Women 0, Chelsea 3: Reds Outclassed By Reigning Champions
Liverpool put together a decent effort over all, but it was a comfortable win in the end by Chelsea at St. Helens Stadium with late goals in both halves providing the difference.
Liverpool 0 - 3 Chelsea
Liverpool: NA
Chelsea: Ramirez 37, Reiten 42’, Beever-Jones 90’
Pre-Match
The Liverpool FC Women face off against the five times reigning WSL champions Chelsea today in a big test for the Reds. Liverpool come into the match on the heels of their second win of the season, while Chelsea have taken the maximum 15 points from 5 matches. Liverpool have caused problems for Chelsea over the past two seasons, beating the blues at Prenton Park each time since rejoining the WSL. Let’s hope the home form keeps up.
Matt Beard is again left somewhat shorthanded with two of his regular starts unable to feature. Sophie Roman Haug remains out with an ankle injury, and Fuka Nagano is also unavailable after taking a knock of her own last weekend against Aston Villa. Leanne Kiernan retains her place up top to fill in for Roman Haug. Jasmine Matthews steps from defense into the holding midfield role, with Gemma Evans getting the start in defense. Zara Shaw and Eva Spencer rejoin the squad on the bench after taking fourth place with England at the U17 World Cup.
The Reds to take on Chelsea today #LIVCHE
— Liverpool FC Women (@LiverpoolFCW) November 10, 2024
First Half
Liverpool earn a corner less than a minute in after some nice interplay in midfield leads to a pass down the line for Olivia Smith. The young attacker beats a defender and drives to the end line, but her attempted cross is blocked behind.
Marie Höbinger sends the ball into the mix and it is only half cleared to Taylor Hinds at the top of the box. The Liverpool captain drives the ball towards goal and it takes a slight deflection off of a Chelsea player and goes just wide of the post.
The next corner is full cleared and Chelsea burst forward on the counter. Mayra Ramirez is the player with the ball and she is through but bracketed by defenders. Liverpool do well to slow her down and get bodies in front of her as she gets her shot away. Busy opening couple of minutes.
Liverpool are looking to use the pace of Smith and Leanne Kiernan down the channels. Both attackers get onto the end of through balls here in the early going, but both opportunities are well defended by Chelsea before a shot can be had.
Chelsea with the first shot on target in the 8th minute. Johanna Rytting Kaynerd cuts a ball back to the top of the box for Maika Hamano to get a good shot away, but Rachael Laws makes a good diving save to push the ball around the post for a corner. The ball in from the set piece causes a scramble in the box, but Liverpool are able to clear their lines.
After a pretty open start to the match Chelsea have settled in to control possession. Liverpool now looking to stay in good defensive shape to limit chances and burst forward when they win the ball back.
Liverpool have a foray forward, earning a free kick through Olivia Smith midway into the Chelsea half. It’s played short to Ceri Holland on the right wing and she looks to beat her defender down the line, but the ball runs out of play for a goal kick. Liverpool win the ball right back and again get the ball to Holland in the middle. This time the Welsh midfielder tries a shot from a full 25 yards out, but the shot floats well over the crossbar.
Liverpool defend a corner and clear it to Olivia Smith down the right wing. The ball is eventually moved around to Ceri Holland on the left, and she takes a run at her defender before cutting the ball to her right foot and swinging in a dangerous cross. Olivia Smith and Grace Fisk are both at the back post for the delivery, but neither can get clear contact on the ball with a defender between them.
Smith again earns a free kick after causing havoc on the ball down the right. Höbinger’s free kick goes through everyone and is caught by Hannah Hampton.
Chelsea with some nice build up and a through ball leaks through to Rytting Kanerd just outside the far post. Rachael Laws comes flying across to block the shot out from close range. Laws stays down after the play to receive treatment on her wrist.
Gemma Evans earns the first yellow card of the game for taking a late nibble at the ankle of Rytting Kanerd. Chelsea swing in the free kick from a dangerous area on their right wing but Liverpool head it out for a corner. Liverpool again manage to keep Chelsea from getting a shot away.
Goal Chelsea. It’s a wild sequence that see’s Sandy Baltimore play the ball into the box. Liverpool tackle the ball way, but it ricochets off of the shins of Mayra Ramirez and comes across to Rytting Kanerd, who unleashes a shot that is deflected off of the crossbar. The ball comes off the crossbar and falls to a Chelsea attacker at the top of the box. The shot comes in and is blocked by a defender, but it falls perfectly for Mayra Ramirez to slam the ball into the net from 6 yards out.
Goal Chelsea. This was completely self-inflicted. A ball was played back to Rachael Laws outside the box without a whole lot of pace. Laws tries to play a ball out to one of the Liverpool players the right while under a little pressure, but she instead passes it directly to Guro Reiten. The Norwegian calmly shoots from distance with Laws dawdling to get back and the ball just beats the Liverpool goalkeeper to the goal.
Liverpool with a couple of late opportunities from a corner kick and then a free kick. Neither set piece causes Chelsea any trouble and the visitors head into the half with a comfortable 2-0 lead. Going to be a difficult road back from Liverpool here as they have struggled to generate much offense.
Second Half
Liverpool with the first shooting chance of the second half. The Reds do well to work the ball forward and then move it from side to side to generate a couple of crosses in. The second cross from Fisk is initially blocked out and falls for Taylor Hinds, but the defenders shot goes over the goal.
Leanne Kiernan earns a free kick in a good spot just a minute later. Marie Höbinger sends a good set piece in, and Liverpool manage to win the second ball. It is bundled back to Höbinger, but her second ball in is easily claimed by Hannah Hampton.
Leanne Kiernan does a fantastic job to tackle the ball and win it high up the pitch. Olivia Smith is free in the box, but Kiernan can’t get her feet sorted out fast enough to get the ball to her. Instead it is played short around on the left side before the Reds get a shot away, but it is right at Hampton in net.
Another nice sequence from Liverpool sees another free kick won in the Chelsea half. The Reds again keep the ball in the area after the set piece, with Taylor Hinds getting a shot away from distance. It’s another comfortable save for Chelsea.
Liverpool win the ball and quickly get it forward with Olivia Smith. The youngster turns and finds the run of Jasmine Matthews. The holding midfielder charges forward to the box and panics a little bit, slipping as she tries an early shot.
Liverpool turning the screws now as the game opens up. Leanne Kiernan with some fantastic worn down the right, and she whips in a cross. It comes through to Ceri Holland and the midfielder tries a shot from a tight angle. It beats a defender and the goalkeeper, but it doesn’t have the correct angle to get inside the far post.
Leanne Kiernan comes off in the 66th minute for Mia Enderby. Kiernan worked her socks off up top without a whole lot of support for much of the match.
Chelsea work a short corner around and force Rachael Laws into a good save, palming the ball over the crossbar. The Blues follow up with another short corner, and this time the attempt goes harmlessly wide of goal.
Matt Beard elects to make two more changes. Hannah Silcock and Yana Daniels come on for Jasmine Matthews and Grace Fisk in like for like substitutions.
Mia Enderby does well to get her body between the ball and Erin Cuthbert and earns a free kick. Cuthburt is shown a yellow before Liverpool waste the free kick opportunity through a misplaced pass from Yana Daniels.
One last change for the Reds in the 83rd minute. Cornelia Kapocs comes on in place of Marie Höbinger.
Ceri Holland with a nice flick around the corner to beat a defender and start to charge forward on a counter. Holland is pulled back and Sjoeke Nüsken is whistled for the foul and shown a yellow card.
Liverpool get the ball forward and earn a corner kick. Cornelia Kapocs sends it in and the Reds work hard to try and get a shot away. Two separate Liverpool players go down in the box from separate challenges, but the referee says to play on.
Goal Chelsea. It’s all too simple as a ball down the line sees Myra Ramirez easily outpace Gemma Evans. Ramriez cuts the ball back for a completely unmarked Wieke Kaptein. The Dutch midfielder looks like she is swinging through the ball for a shot, but her mishit turns into a perfect pass for Anges Beever-Jones, who slots the ball home from close range. It’s a tough blow after a much more positive second half for Liverpool.
That’ll do it as the referee blows for full time just a few minutes after the late goal.
Final Thoughts
Liverpool showed they could cause some troubles for Chelsea, but ultimately it was a fairly comfortable win for the Blues. While the Reds to create some offensive threat, especially in the second half, they really didn’t generate many truly threatening opportunities, opting for some shots from distance that failed to trouble Hannah Hampton in net.
Matt Beard and Liverpool will look to get back into the win column when they take on bottom of the table Everton next Sunday. The match will be played at Goodison Park, so there should be a good crowd on hand.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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