Match reportLiverpool suffer late defeat at Manchester City in the WSL

Gareth Taylor’s team came close to opening the scoring early on at Joie Stadium on Sunday as captain Grace Fisk hit the post.

The title-chasing hosts were thwarted several times by Reds goalkeeper Jennifer Falk but she was beaten by Rebecca Knaak’s header in stoppage time.

Liverpool made a confident start to proceedings and troubled City three times withing the opening few minutes.

First, Ceri Holland was worked into space on the left wing and lifted in a cross that found Aurélie Csillag, whose header from the centre was too high.

Denise O’Sullivan stole possession high up the pitch when play resumed and moved through to fire a low shot that Ayaka Yamashita had to get down to shovel around the post.

Then a Holland corner delivery from the right reached the far side of the penalty area, where Fisk cushioned a first-time volley onto the base of the left post.

League leaders City found a foothold as the first half progressed – and the Reds needed their goalkeeper on 26 minutes.

Lauren Hemp muscled past Risa Shimizu on the flank and pulled the ball back to Khadija Shaw. Her instant strike at goal was repelled by Falk low to her right.

Shaw next cleared the crossbar with a header from Kerstin Casparij’s inswinger, while Csillag rifled too high upon combining with Mia Enderby to create room.

City immediately pinned the visitors back in the second half, with Fisk making an important block to thwart an Aoba Fujino drive.

A Hemp attempt that lacked power was comfortable for Falk before the same player curled not too far wide of the Liverpool net from a tight angle.

Holland snatched at a shot from the edge of the box having been able to dribble forward, but the traffic was mostly in the other direction now.

Indeed, Falk was again called into a rescue act just past the hour mark.

Shaw’s clipped ball in behind allowed Kerolin to brush off Jenna Clark and go one-v-one. The final effort was pushed up and over the goalframe.

Hemp and Shaw connected again when the former’s near-post cross from the left was swept off target by the latter.

The Reds could have broken the deadlock themselves soon after, though, with an unmarked Beata Olsson directing her header wide from Alejandra Bernabe’s pinpoint delivery.

Falk foiled City yet again a minute into stoppage time.

Hemp’s latest tee-up for Shaw was looped towards goal via the striker’s head and Falk reacted quickly to push the ball over.

She was unable to repeat that from the resulting corner, though. Knaak headed it in search of the bottom left corner and it got through the grasp of Falk to give City the points.

Team

Liverpool: Falk, Shimizu (Bergstrom, 69), Clark, Fisk, Bernabe, Nagano, O’Sullivan, Holland, Enderby, Olsson, Csillag (Josendal, 82).

Unused subs: Kirby, Evans, Woodham, Maclean, Shaw, Trueman.

Next up

The Reds’ attention now turns to the Adobe Women’s FA Cup semi-final against Brighton & Hove Albion next Sunday (May 10).

Kick-off at St Helens Stadium is 12.15pm BST and tickets can be booked here.