Champs stunned by Beard’s newcomers
Newly-promoted Liverpool pull off shock win
ASTORY of three penalties made for the biggest shock of the opening weekend of the Women’s Super League as champions Chelsea were beaten by newlypromoted Liverpool.
The Reds were minutes into their return to the top flight when Gilly Flaherty kicked Guro Reiten instead of the ball and gifted Chelsea a penalty, which Fran Kirby converted.
But while previous Liverpool teams may have collapsed, Matt Beard’s side did the opposite.
They worked tirelessly to prevent Chelsea from scoring a second before the Blues conceded a spot-kick of their own. Millie Bright handled in the box and Katie Stengel stepped up to equalise.
Instead of looking to shut up shop, Liverpool went on the attack and were rewarded when Stengel won and scored a second penalty in the 87th minute. Beard’s side then endured seven minutes of added time but held on to claim a huge victory and end Chelsea’s run of nine straight league wins.
Liverpool’s main aim this season is to stay in the WSL and on this evidence they will do that comfortably. ‘There shouldn’t be any hesitancy anymore, we should be in a position where we know we can compete at this level,’ Beard said.
‘We frustrated Chelsea, one of the best teams in club football. We could have folded after going 1-0 down. There are so many good things that have come out of today but the biggest thing for me is that the players have the belief and trust in what we are asking them to do.’
After week one it is advantage Arsenal in the title race but Chelsea will not be concerned. Last season they were beaten on the opening day by the Gunners and spent the majority of the campaign as the chasers before finally overtaking their rivals. They should have had enough to beat Liverpool but were punished for not turning their possession into goals.
Hayes said: ‘I didn’t think our execution in the final third was anywhere near good enough. Our crossing was wayward and we didn’t trouble the keeper in the way that we have done. If I turned around and said who played well for us, I don’t think it would be a high number.’
Hayes’ side sorely missed Pernille Harder, who dropped out of the starting XI with an injury in the warm- up. But Kirby’s early goal gave them the perfect start as she sent Rachael Laws the wrong way to open the scoring in the third minute.
Liverpool could have equalised shortly after but Emma Koivisto fired over at the back post. A tight offside call then ruled out what would have been an early goal of the season contender from Chelsea forward
Sam Kerr, the Australian hitting a first-time volley into the top corner before the flag went up.
Hayes was adamant it should have stood, saying: ‘We scored a goal that was legitimately onside, I’ve seen it back, which is frustrating. I said it to the fourth official at the time. It is frustrating that someone as quick as Sam gets penalised because we don’t have VAR. I think had we gone 2-0 up it would have been a different game.’
Liverpool lost last season’s top scorer Leanne Kiernan to what looked like a bad ankle injury in the second half but her replacement Megan Campbell made an instant impact. Campbell has a reputation for her Rory Delap style throws and her first involvement was to launch the ball into the Chelsea box. It caused chaos as Nimah Charles miss-kicked her clearance and the ball was hit against Bright’s arm from close range. Stengel converted calmly into the bottom right corner to the delight of a record 3,006 home crowd.
Then came the third and decisive penalty. Stengel ran on to a loose ball and suddenly found herself through on goal. Kadeisha Buchanan slid in desperately and brought down the striker just inside the box. Once again the American converted, sending Musovic the wrong way for a second time.
LIVERPOOL (3-4-3): Laws 6; Flaherty 6, Fahey 7, Matthews 6; Koivisto 6.5 (Roberts 72min, 6), Holland 6, Kearns 6 (Furness 72), Hines 6.5; Lawley 6.5 (Daniels 72), STENGEL 8 (Humphrey 90), Kiernan 6.5 (Campbell 57, 6.5).
Scorer: Stengel 67, 87.
Booked: Holland, Campbell.
Manager: Matt Beard 7.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Musovic 6; Charles 5, Bright 6 (Perisset 70, 6), Buchanan 6, Eriksson 5; Cuthbert 6, Ingle 6 (Rytting Kaneryd 70, 6) Kirby 6.5; James 7 (England 85), Kerr 6, Reiten 6. Scorer: Kirby 3.
Booked: None.
Manager: Emma Hayes 6.
Referee: Emily Heaslip 6.
Attendance: 3,006.