Match reportLiverpool suffer heavy loss to Chelsea in Women's League Cup quarter-final

A flurry of four goals in a 20-minute first-half spell put the Blues in control of the quarter-final meeting.

Sam Kerr delivered the first two and was followed onto the scoresheet by Wieke Kaptein and Aggie Beever-Jones.

Chelsea powered further ahead after the break as Johanna Rytting Kaneryd netted a hat-trick between goals from Sjoeke Nusken and Millie Bright.

Jenna Clark got the reply for the home side.

A quiet opening 10 minutes at St Helens Stadium gave way to a string of chances from which the visitors emerged clearly on top.

Former Reds player Niamh Charles first guided in a header from a corner, though that effort was ruled out by the officials.

Seconds later, however, Charles slid a fine pass into the Liverpool area through the right channel to allow Kerr to tuck a first-time finish inside the near post.

Clark then blocked out Beever-Jones on the goalline, with Blues appeals for handball against the centre-back rejected.

The hosts might have levelled quickly. Mia Enderby crafted a chance for Cornelia Kapocs inside the box and the Swede's left-footed hit was foiled by the goalkeeper.

It was a turning point as Chelsea promptly doubled their lead, capitalising on the Reds' failed attempt to play out from the back. Kerr again was on hand to supply the scoring touch.

On 21 minutes, they made it three. Guro Reiten squared a pass to Kaptein, who picked out the bottom left corner with an accurate shot.

The gap increased just past the half-hour mark as a clip in behind freed Beever-Jones for a lifted finish over the oncoming Faye Kirby.

Beever-Jones prodded too close to Kirby from a subsequent opportunity, and was then forced off with an injury.

Her replacement, Lauren James, glanced a header wide from a brilliant Kaneryd cross in added time.

Ceri Holland flashed a header off target from Beata Olsson's pitch across the box as Liverpool made a bright start to the second half.

But in a repeat of earlier in the game, the Blues followed up a disallowed goal with another that did count.

In the 53rd minute, a corner from the right flank was flicked in off Kerr, only for it to be ruled out.

There was no denying Kaneryd from the next wave, though, as she arced an excellent strike into the top corner from 20 yards.

The Reds were denied a consolation by a goalline clearance on the hour mark.

A deep corner kick found Lily Woodham and she hooked the ball back into the middle, where Gemma Evans' header was on course for the net until Nusken got in the way.

Gareth Taylor's side did score with 72 on the clock.

At a set-piece delivery from the other wing, Clark escaped her marker and sent a header over the line despite Nusken's attempts to clear again.

Chelsea responded strongly and hit back with four more goals of their own in quick succession.

An unselfish Maika Hamano back-heel teed up Kaneryd, whose low drive deflected off Clark and beat Kirby.

Nusken powered in a header at the far post from Charles' hoisted cross, before Kaneryd completed a hat-trick by nodding in a rebound when a Nusken effort bounced off the bar.

The away team increased their total to nine near the end as Bright made a one-two with Hamano and dispatched the ball emphatically.

Team

Liverpool: Kirby, Parry, Clark, Evans, Woodham (Bernabe, 76), Nagano, Maclean (Lundgaard, 46), Kapocs, Holland, Enderby, Olsson.

Unused subs: Laws, McDonald, Trueman.