NewsWSL match report: Liverpool suffer late defeat against Arsenal
Liverpool suffered a late 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in the Barclays Women's Super League on Saturday afternoon.
Gareth Taylor's side fell behind to a long-range Olivia Smith effort in the first half at Emirates Stadium.
Beata Olsson levelled on the half-hour and made history as the first player to score in as many as four of her first five starts in the WSL.
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But the Reds were denied any points to bring home from the capital when Stina Blackstenius scored in the closing moments.
Arsenal made a sprightly start on home soil, with former Reds forward Smith a threat moving in off the left flank.
Faye Kirby in the Liverpool goal made a couple of rudimentary saves from headers by Lotte Wubben-Moy and Mariona Caldentey.
The visitors looked like they were going to take the lead in immediate response.
A knock forward sent Olsson into space in behind and she beat the emerging goalkeeper to touch the ball around her. But the Swede lost her balance and could not convert into the exposed net.
Soon after at the other end, the woodwork spared the Reds as Caldentey's cross to the back stick was met by Wubben-Moy yards out. Her header clipped the post.
It was temporary respite, however.
On 16 minutes, Smith picked up the ball on her wing and carried it through to the middle before cracking a low shot from around 25 yards that nestled into the left corner.
The Canadian later saw a curler from closer range blocked by Lucy Parry as Arsenal sought to press home their advantage.
Instead, though, it was Liverpool who scored next.
An excellently worked equaliser it was, too. Turning over the ball in the opposition half, slick passes from Kirsty Maclean and Mia Enderby set up Olsson, who rolled a clinical finish beyond Anneke Borbe off her left foot.
The Gunners reasserted some control when the second half got under way - and the Reds needed their goalkeeper again.
Alessia Russo had already flashed an attempt wide after working good space for herself with neat footwork inside the box.
The same player was then denied by the hands of Kirby having been found by Taylor Hinds' low cross into a similar area.
Their one-on-one duel continued when Russo was picked out from a deep corner and prodded it at goal. Once more, Kirby was well placed to thwart.
As Liverpool dug in and defended stoutly, Arsenal were being frustrated.
Substitute Caitlin Foord thrashed her strike too high after Kirby parried out a firmly hit cross from Smith down the right-hand side.
Katie McCabe went close, meanwhile, with a first-time volley from a dropping ball that whistled over the bar.
Gemma Evans made a miraculous recovery to make amends for her own error nine minutes from the end.
Blackstenius had seized upon her loose pass back and rounded Kirby to set up a tap-in. But Evans raced back and slid in to send the final finish wide.
The Reds were undone on 87 minutes, though.
A knock over the top was brought down by Blackstenius and she turned on the ball to crash a clinical winner into the top right corner.
Team
Liverpool: Kirby, Parry (Lundgaard, 67), Silcock (Bernabe, 71), Clark, Evans, Woodham, Nagano, Maclean (Kiernan, 90+2), Enderby, Kapocs, Olsson.
Unused subs: Laws, Trueman.
Next up
Taylor's side are on the road again next week, travelling to Aston Villa in the WSL.
Kick-off at Villa Park on Thursday (December 11) is 7pm GMT. Ticket and travel details here.