Match reportHöbinger hits late winner as Liverpool defeat Leicester in WSL
Liverpool returned to Barclays Women’s Super League action in style as Marie Höbinger’s late strike gave them a 2-1 victory over Leicester City at Prenton Park.
Melissa Lawley’s superb effort had given the Reds the lead early in the second half on Sunday, but despite bossing the game for long spells, they looked like they would be left frustrated after Missy Goodwin netted a fine equaliser for the Foxes.
Höbinger, though, struck six minutes from time, firing home from substitute Mia Enderby’s cutback, to give Matt Beard the 50th WSL win of his managerial career.
After three games without a victory in all competitions, and late disappointment in the draw at West Ham United last time out, Beard’s side arrived into this game determined to get back to winning ways after a bright start to the campaign.
They started on the front foot, with Lawley drawing the first save of the match from Janina Leitzig in the Leicester goal after 15 minutes.
Grace Fisk enjoyed plenty of success down the right flank in the opening stages, while Sophie Roman Haug, searching for her first Reds goal, headed a teasing delivery from Lawley wide after 22 minutes.
Liverpool needed Jenna Clark to make a superb last-ditch challenge to prevent CJ Bott from opening the scoring for Leicester soon after, before Rachael Laws was called upon for the first time to field Courtney Nevin’s effort.
The home side thought they had the lead on 34 minutes when another searching Lawley cross found Roman Haug, whose far-post header was brilliantly clawed away by Leitzig.
Leitzig was again stretched before half-time, springing to her left to turn a terrific 25-yard effort from Höbinger behind, with Roman Haug heading the resulting corner wide.
Jutta Rantala had a shot deflected behind for Leicester, but it was Liverpool who went in at the break having enjoyed the better of the first 45 minutes.
PHOTOS
By Nick Taylor
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And the hosts had the lead within three minutes of the restart, thanks to a brilliant individual strike from Lawley.
Collecting a pass from Fisk, the Reds’ No.11 slipped the ball between the legs of a Leicester defender before, from a tight angle, hammering an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net for her first goal of the campaign.
Lawley and Missy Bo Kearns had opportunities to extend the lead almost immediately, while the impressive Leitzig again denied Roman Haug.
Beard’s side looked dominant, but Leicester levelled out of nowhere on 57 minutes as Goodwin found a bit of space in the penalty area to smash a left-footed shot into the top corner.
Liverpool welcomed Shanice van de Sanden back from injury as she replaced Kearns midway through the second half, with Enderby also brought on for the influential Lawley.
Both sides continued to push for a winning goal, but it was the Reds who were rewarded late on as excellent work from Jasmine Matthews enabled Enderby to tee up Höbinger, who made no mistake with a first-time finish from 12 yards.
There was a late scare as Deanne Rose’s stoppage-time cross was clawed off the goalline by Laws, with Clark clearing the loose ball to safety to preserve the three points.
TEAM
Liverpool: Laws, Clark, Bonner, Matthews, Fisk (Daniels, 85), Nagano, Höbinger (Taylor, 85), Kearns (Van de Sanden, 68), Hinds, Lawley (Enderby, 68), Roman H. (Lundgaard, 88).
Unused subs: Micah, Parry, Flint.
NEXT UP
The Reds are back in action on Wednesday night as they host Manchester City at Prenton Park in the Continental League Cup (7pm GMT kick-off).