MUM’S THE WORD, SHAN
Van de Sanden marks family joy with goal
SHANICE VAN DE SANDEN celebrated becoming a mother with her first goal of the season.
The Netherlands forward had missed the midweek Continental Cup defeat by Manchester United with her partner giving birth to a girl on Tuesday.
She scored Liverpool’s second two minutes from half-time after Gemma Bonner celebrated a landmark day for herself by heading in the opener in the 27th minute.
Bonner had been presented with a framed shirt by Liverpool great Ian Callaghan before kick-off to mark her becoming the club’s record appearance-maker (135) in the Women’s Super League era.
Ceri Holland added a third in the 63rd minute before Sophie Roman Haug scored in stoppage time.
Reds boss Matt Beard said of van de Sanden: “She is an infectious character. What you see on the pitch is what she’s like day to day. Delighted for her and her family.”
Brighton were well beaten in the end but caused Liverpool problems in the opening 20 minutes.
Liverpool goalkeeper Teagan Micah – making her Women’s Super League debut – produced three important saves before the match was 10 minutes old.
First she pushed aside a deflected Pauline Bremer shot, then beat away Maisie Symonds’ inswinging corner under pressure and tipped over a dangerous cross-shot from Brighton’s leading scorer Elisabeth Terland.
Micah was beaten in the 13th minute as Terland glanced another Symonds corner goalwards, but Bonner cleared off the line.
Liverpool went ahead as Bonner rose at the near post to flick Marie Hobinger’s corner past Sophie Baggaley.
They extended their advantage in the 43rd minute, as Haug broke through the middle before feeding a pass right for Van de Sanden to angle a low drive beneath Baggaley (right).
Haug chased a ball to the byline that Brighton centre-back Guro Bergsvand was trying to allow to run out of play, and hooked it back for Holland to head home.
And Haug rolled in the fourth from close range.