Match reportLiverpool FC Women beaten at London City Lionesses in WSL

Gareth Taylor made four changes to his team for the trip to the capital, with Marie Höbinger among those following her recent two-game absence.

The early exchanges of the contest were even with both teams creating very little in the final third as the game became a midfield battle.

After 20 minutes, Nikita Parris worked the first real opportunity of the encounter, breaking away from her marker in the box to head a Jana Fernandez cross wide of the goal.

The Reds responded with a Fuka Nagano shot from distance, while Höbinger forced a save from a free-kick, though her effort was never really troubling goalkeeper Elene Lete.

Ceri Holland was providing a threat down the right flank for Liverpool and won a set-piece on the stroke of half-time, though Gemma Bonner’s resulting header also fell past the post in an even opening period.

The home side began the second half on the front foot and worked a number of chances in the early proceedings.

The best of those openings came via Isobel Goodwin, who made the most of loose play from Liverpool at the back.

Goodwin shot at an empty goal from the edge of the box after stealing the ball and Jenna Clark retreated just in time to get enough on her effort to deflect the ball onto the post.

Lucia Corrales then signalled another threat, shooting over the bar from a tight angle, before Grace Geyoro first worked Rafaela Borggrafe into a save in the area, ahead of seeing a rebound blocked and cleared away.

Goodwin again threatened from a dead-ball situation, guiding a header over the bar, while Kosovare Asllani saw her lifted shot cleared away by the Reds.

As the contest looked to be heading for a draw, London City earned themselves a penalty in the closing minutes of the match.

Parris sprinted forward to follow in a ball over the top of the defence and Borggrafe came to meet the danger, though was deemed to have taken out the attacker, leading to a penalty kick.

Elena Linari stepped up to convert via the underside of the crossbar, which secured the points for the Lionesses in the final minute of normal time.

Team

Liverpool: Borggrafe, Fisk, Bonner, Clark, Shimizu, Nagano, Kerr, Höbinger, Holland, Enderby (Olsson, 62), Kapocs (Roman H., 90).

Unused subs: Kirby, Evans, Szymczak, Lundgaard, Maclean, Silcock.

Next up

The Reds will return to Anfield in their next WSL outing of the 2025-26 campaign, hosting Manchester City in a 4.45pm BST kick-off on Sunday October 12.

Supporters can book tickets to attend the fixture here.