Liverpool’s women scored their first league win since the beginning of December, scoring two unanswered goals for Reading, thereby distancing themselves from the only relegation point.
Liverpool Women 2-0 Reading
WSL (11), Prenton Park
February 5, 2023
Goals: Kearns, 62, Holland, 65.
For the first time in six games, Matt Bird’s team was at the end of the winning score in a decisive clash in the women’s Super League.
Like Jurgen Klopp’s team, the women’s team went to meet Reading, ranked 11th, without a win in 2023. But they stopped the rot, unlike men.
The home crowd at Prenton Park had to wait until the second half to have a reason to celebrate, but, like the buses, two arrived at once to put Liverpool behind the wheel.
Missy Bo Kerns made the score 1-0 just after the hour mark, refusing to give up in the penalty area and launching the ball into the net with a toe when she lost her balance.
Relief became evident after a much improved start in the second 45th round: the Reds showed flashes in the first half, never having experienced Jacqueline Burns in the Reading goal.
And 1:0 quickly turned into 2:0. Seri Holland warned at the back post to easily realize the ball after Megan Campbell started moving with an accurate long-range throw-in into the penalty area.
This is the second game in a row when Liverpool have scored twice, having failed to score in the previous four matches, starting on December 7.
Bird’s team played the game calmly and scored their first three points in the championship after a visit to West Ham on December 4.
The result moves Liverpool to eighth position, eight points ahead of Leicester at the relegation point — a respite that cannot be taken for granted, since the Foxes are their next opponent.
Best Player of the Match: Keri Holland
Liverpool Women: Laws; Koivisto, Campbell, Matthews, Bonner, Hinds, Holland, Nagano, Kerns (Taylor, 86), Lawley (Daniels, 75), Stengel (Lundgaard, 90)
Unused substitutes: Cumings, Kirby, Robe, Roberts, Humphrey, Silcock.
Next match: Leicester (D) — WSL — Sunday, February 12, 14:00 (GMT)
