Monica Jusu Bah v Liverpool
Monica Jusu Bah v Liverpool
Eva Olid’s Reds led 3-0 at half-time thanks to Lea Schuller’s opener and a first-half brace from Mared Griffiths, who now has six goals to her name for the season – all in this tournament.
Monica Jusu Bah’s second United goal extended that lead to four, with just under 20 minutes to play at the BrewDog Stadium. That sparked a late flurry, with Maya Le Tissier adding a fifth, taking our overall tally in the league phase of the cup to 20 in three games, while Cornelia Kapocs bagged a consolatory hat-trick in a little over 10 minutes for Liverpool.
Despite conceding late, it is now six wins in a row for the Reds across all competitions, heading into the weekend’s Manchester derby in the WSL on home turf in Leigh.
Who was United Women's Player of the Match in the cup win at Liverpool?
You have five nominees to choose from, after our Reds scored five in St Helens!
00d 11h 10m 52s
Julia Zigiotti
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Maya Le Tissier warm up v Liverpool
The Reds were greeted with a downpour in St Helens.
FIRST HALF
As was also the case when these teams met in the WSL in nearby Leigh at the start of the month, United took an early lead. There hadn’t been much to separate the sides through the first 10 minutes, until Dominique Janssen spotted the run of Schuller and played the perfect ball over the top of the Liverpool defence.
Our no.24 raced onto the long pass and clinically took the chance with an impressive right-footed finish. Lea appeared to hurt herself in the process and briefly fell to the turf in need of treatment, rather than celebrate her third goal of the season, but was thankfully able to carry on.
In challenging weather conditions as the rain fell, it was United who continued to edge the contest. A second goal almost came at the half-hour mark, with Schuller slipping a ball through to the advancing Jusu Bah through the middle, but late pressure from a defender and the legs of goalkeeper Khiara Keating kept the winger off the scoresheet.
A second United goal did soon arrive, however. Flying in this competition, Griffiths deserved a slice of luck with a deflection on the final shot that carried ball past a wrong-footed Keating. After going on the offensive with a run inside from the left, she then turned back outside and took on the left-footed shot.
A quickfire third then followed in the closing stages of the first half, with Griffiths benefitting from Julia Zigiotti unselfishly rolling the ball across the box for Mared to tap into an empty net at the far post. Schuller was also involved, playing the initial pass into a dangerous area for Zigiotti.
Julia Zigiotti v Liverpool
Julia Zigiotti was excellent again.
SECOND HALF
A single United change at the break saw Jess Simpson replace Anna Sandberg at left back, and the travelling Reds kept putting the pressure on once the game resumed. It felt like Zigiotti was at the heart of everything and the phenomenal Swede almost got another assist when she laid back a ball to compatriot Jusu Bah, whose off-balance shot flew over.
Janina Leitzig’s first meaningful action of the night came 54 minutes in, saving a strike from distance by Fuka Nagano. Shortly after, the United goalkeeper took no chances with a deflected effort from Liverpool substitute Natalia Ramos, palming behind for a corner.
Liverpool’s changes, which included Kapocs, were starting to make a difference. But that building pressure was countered by Jusu Bah’s wonderful solo effort. It was all Monica’s work, first anticipating and intercepting a pass into midfield from Keating, then accelerating away from the home defence and keeping her composure, one-on-one.
Liverpool got a first consolation when Kapocs finished from close range, after possession was won in United territory and the ball crossed into the six-yard box. But no sooner had the deficit been reduced to three goals, Le Tissier pushed it back to four. The United skipper recently netted for England and notched her second club goal of the season.
Maya carried the ball from deep all the way into the Liverpool half. Her initial layoff resulted in Simi Awujo having a shot blocked, but Jusu Bah kept the chance alive, knocking the ball back to the edge of the box, from where our skipper gracefully passed it into the bottom corner.
But Liverpool still managed to find another two goals when Kapocs completed a hat-trick late on. The Swede got her team’s second in the 85th minute with a first-time finish following a cutback from the left, before a remarkably similar strike in the 88th.
Who was United Women's Player of the Match in the cup win at Liverpool?
You have five nominees to choose from, after our Reds scored five in St Helens!
Julia Zigiotti
Submit Vote
MATCH DETAILS
Liverpool: Keating; Parry (Ward 46), Fisk (c) (Clark 56), Agrez (Shaw 64), Woodham; Nagano (Ramos 56), Hobinger; Bergstrom, Trueman, Itamura (Kapocs 64); Enderby.
Subs not used: Kirby, Bernabe, Endemann, Olsson.
Goals: Kapocs 76, 85, 88.
United: Leitzig; Hill, Le Tissier (c), Janssen (Medina 56), Sandberg (Simpson 46); Bernal (Toone 90+1), Zigiotti (Miyazawa 56), Awujo; Jusu Bah, Schuller (Wangerheim 65), Griffiths.
Subs not used: Tullis-Joyce, Lundkvist, Park, Terland.
Goals: Schuller 11, Griffiths 41, 44, Jusu Bah 72, Le Tissier 78.
Booked: Hill.
United Women huddle after win over Charlton at The Valley
United Women huddle after win over Charlton at The Valley
Matthijs de Ligt in third kit promo
Matthijs de Ligt in third kit promo
An interior shot of Old Trafford from the corner flag
An interior shot of Old Trafford from the corner flag
United Women celebrate goal at Charlton
United Women celebrate goal at Charlton