Blues are coming off back-to-back defeats in the Subway Players Cup and are still looking for their first win of the season in all competitions.
It was a seven-goal thriller at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park on Wednesday night, with Blues losing to Gareth Taylor’s Liverpool side, who came into the game on the back of a Merseyside derby win over Everton.
For Amy Merricks and her girls in blue, the search for that first win of the season continues. There were positives once again, but the defence remains an area that needs to be sorted.
Amy made nine changes from the draw against Crystal Palace, with Wilma Leidhammar returning to the starting eleven.
FIRST HALF
The first chance of the game resulted in the opening goal for Liverpool. Jade Rastocle played a short pass to Chelsea Cornet, but the ball eventually fell to Marie Höbinger, who drilled her effort from the edge of the box past Lucy Thomas to give the Reds the lead in the fourth minute.
Blues’ first chance came in the 15th minute when Chancelle Effa Effa fired over the bar.
Liverpool almost doubled their lead a minute later when an Aurélie Csillag effort went just wide of the post.
In the 31st minute, a clever Liverpool corner involving Woodham and Enderby saw Enderby reach the byline before her cross was eventually cleared by the Blues defence.
However, Blues found the equaliser in the 34th minute. A flick-on from Sarri sent Effa Effa through on goal, and she played the ball across the box for Marie Levasseur to finish into the back of the net for her first goal in a Blues shirt.
Blues could have made it 2-1 in the 38th minute when Martha Harris intercepted the ball and drove towards the edge of the box, but her shot went well wide.
In the 42nd minute, there was a serious-looking injury to Aurélie Csillag after she appeared to twist her ankle inside the box. She was eventually stretchered off the pitch.
In the 45th minute came arguably Blues’ best move of the half. Sarri flicked the ball on for Marie Levasseur, who ran into the box and pulled it back for Chancelle Effa Effa, but her shot was straight at the goalkeeper.
Beata Olsson then had a hat-trick of chances. The first was a header over the bar in the 48th minute, before another effort went over following a cross in the 50th minute. A minute later, she again fired over the bar.
The final chance of the first half came in the 54th minute when substitute and Sweden youth international Cornelia Kapocs saw her shot comfortably saved by Lucy Thomas.
HALF-TIME: BLUES WOMEN 1-1 LIVERPOOL WOMEN
SECOND HALF
Amy made a triple change at half-time, with Lee Geum-Min, Lily Crosthwaite and Rebecca McKenna all coming on for the second half.
The first chance after the restart saw Blues take the lead through two of the substitutes. Rebecca McKenna delivered a cross into the box and Lee Geum-Min headed home to put Blues 2-1 ahead.
However, just 60 seconds later, Liverpool equalised. Cornelia Kapocs showed her strength against Martha Harris before her cross found Mia Enderby. Her effort was deflected into the path of McDonald, who finished to make it 2-2 in the 51st minute.
Two minutes later, Liverpool retook the lead. Marie Höbinger’s shot from outside the box took a wicked deflection off Jade Rastocle and flew past a despairing Lucy Thomas to give the Reds a 3-2 advantage.
In the 56th minute, Lily Crosthwaite saw a shot saved by Faye Kirby.
Blues had a brilliant opportunity to make it 3-3 in the 59th minute when Rebecca McKenna played the ball into Lily Crosthwaite. Her first touch was heavy, but she recovered well before finding Lee Geum-Min, whose effort went wide of the post.
In the 64th minute, Natalia Ramos fired straight at Lucy Thomas.
Nine minutes later, a powerful effort from Lee Geum-Min was well saved by Faye Kirby, who pushed it behind for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Neve Herron headed wide.
However, in the 76th minute, Blues equalised with a goal of real quality. Substitute Asato Miyagawa won the ball before it fell to Wilma Leidhammar, who rifled a brilliant effort from outside the box past Faye Kirby to make it 3-3.
Just two minutes later, Liverpool came close to retaking the lead when Cornelia Kapocs curled an effort narrowly past the far post.
In the 83rd minute, Chelsea Cornet gave the ball away, but Natalia Ramos could only fire wide of the post.
Two minutes later, Trueman struck the post.
Then, in the 93rd minute, another Trueman effort brought out the best in Lucy Thomas, who tipped the strike over the bar.
However, from the resulting corner, Natalia Ramos headed home to give Liverpool the victory and condemn Blues to back-to-back defeats in the Subway Players Cup.
FULL-TIME: BLUES WOMEN 3-4 LIVERPOOL WOMEN
MY THOUGHTS ON THE GAME
It’s back-to-back defeats in the Subway Players Cup for the girls in blue.
Yes, it was a fantastic game to watch, but we are still searching for our first win of the season. I also think making so many changes has an impact. This time it was nine changes, while against Everton it was eight, and I think it takes time for a team to adapt and find its rhythm during a game.
One thing I have admired about Amy since she has been at Blues is her focus on both sides of the game. Of course, scoring goals is great, but keeping clean sheets is just as important.
Conceding 16 goals in six games is simply too many, and I hope Amy is given the time to sort that out.
MY PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Marie Höbinger
I thought she was outstanding for Liverpool.
UP NEXT
It’s the final game before the international break as Blues travel to Goodison Park to face Everton, with kick-off at 2:00pm.