Match reportLiverpool edged out by Man City in seven-goal Continental League Cup tie

Filippa Angeldahl broke clear to put City ahead on 33 minutes, but seconds before the break Gemma Bonner marked a special personal occasion in style.

On the No.23’s 135th appearance for the Reds – which set a new club record in the WSL era – Bonner delivered a lovely equalising goal with a hook over the goalkeeper.

Natasha Flint then found the net to get Liverpool in front immediately after the restart, though the visitors responded to level through Jess Park.

City grabbed all three points courtesy of substitute Chloe Kelly’s clinical double, with Mia Enderby’s first goal for Liverpool proving a late, late consolation.

The first chance of the contest had come for City as Yana Daniels’ pass across her own area was intercepted by Lauren Hemp. It looked as though a straightforward finish would follow but Rachael Laws reacted quickly and vitally to block the strike at close range.

Further goalscoring opportunities were limited in the rest of the opening half-hour, with Flint halted inside the area when freed to run on goal in the Reds’ best sight.

A crucial minute of play ensued from 32 to 33 on the clock. At one end, Miri Taylor’s inviting cross from the right found Flint, whose first touch was ideal to tee up a shot that skewed wide of the right post.

From there, a long ball from the back by City goalkeeper Sandy MacIver caught Liverpool out and allowed Angeldahl to break in behind to a one-on-one with Laws. She kept her nerve to clip a low effort inside the left post.

Matt Beard’s team rallied, though, and it was perhaps fate that Bonner got her name on the scoresheet.

Taylor’s deep corner kick from the right side was kept alive in the City penalty box and Grace Fisk did really well to nod the ball back across goal for Bonner, who deftly looped a strike over MacIver into the bottom corner.

PHOTOS

By Nick Taylor

After four changes by Beard during the interval, the Reds took the lead within two minutes of the restart. MacIver’s pass out from goal came straight to Flint and she made no mistake with an angled finish.

That advantage was frustratingly short-lived, though. A City strike from the left edge of the area was parried by Laws and Park was perfectly placed to nudge in the rebound from yards out.

Flint’s influence had been growing and the summer signing had an effort ruled out for offside following neat combination play with Marie Höbinger, and she then fired in a 30-yarder that needed to be tipped over.

The away team began to assert themselves again and Deyna Castellanos was just inches off target with a swerving shot after a clever feint 20 yards from goal.

And two moments of quality from Kelly grabbed victory for City, with the half-time introduction first rifling an unstoppable strike from a bobbling ball into the top left corner in the 70th minute.

Liverpool had the welcome sight of Leanne Kiernan entering the action for the final quarter of an hour following injury, though Kelly swiped a low effort across Laws to establish a two-goal lead.

The Reds kept at it and in the penultimate minute of seven added on, Enderby escaped the attention of Steph Houghton with an inventive piece of skill and raced through to sweep in a strong finish.

TEAM

Liverpool: Laws, Parry, Bonner, Fisk (Clark, 46), Daniels, Matthews (Nagano, 46), Taylor, Holland (Höbinger, 46), Enderby, Van de Sanden (Hinds, 46), Flint (Kiernan, 76).

Unused subs: Spencer, Roman H.

NEXT UP

Liverpool’s focus will revert to Barclays Women’s Super League duties on Sunday with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur.

Kick-off at Brisbane Road is 12.30pm GMT.