Liverpool FC Women Fall To Tottenham Hotspur In Final Eight Of Continental Cup

A hard fought match ends in defeat for the Reds.

Liverpool FC Women went into Wednesday’s Continental Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur with a 16 match unbeaten streak – impressive in and of itself.

Unfortunately it was also Wednesday when that streak ended with a 1-0 defeat, tossing them out of the league cup competition in the process. They are still unbeaten in the FA Women’s Championship League, where they sit top of the table and seven points clear of second place London City Lionesses.

Even more unfortunate was the fact that the match was unable to be streamed anywhere, due to Tottenham Hotspur’s Men’s team playing Leicester City at the same time at their home stadium, so those of us unable to attend were left to follow along on social media.

Manager Matt Beard made seven changes from the squad that featured on Sunday against Watford, giving last week’s goal scorer Katie Stengel a starting debut and resting Leanne Kiernan on the bench.

From this writer’s vantage point (only able to live vicariously through those able to be at the match), the match was hard fought, back and forth with chances few and far between. Liverpool held their own against a Women’s Super League squad, and a top four one at that, keeping them from creating any meaningful chances until halfway through the first half.

Even for Spurs, their first major goal scoring opportunity arrived when Esther Morgan managed to push through Liverpool’s backline and shoot low for goal, but veteran ‘keeper Rachael Laws handled it easily.

Conversely, Liverpool created their best chance of the first half just before the break, with Ashley Hodson picking up a loose ball near the box, laying it off to Carla Humphrey and Jade Bailey, who then made sure Taylor Hinds had a shot – only to have her own low effort saved by Spurs’ goalkeeper, Tinja-Riikka Korpela.

The second half remained much of the same tense battles as both squads searched for that breakthrough goal and defended well against the other side. Spurs had another effort through a shot gone wide by Jessica Naz, in addition to some threatening set pieces that went ultimately unfulfilled.

Hodson responded with a great break down the left channel as her cross was cleared for a corner, with Missy Bo Kearns’s corner delivery instigating some penalty box panic, but Leighanne Robe’s shot was easily blocked by Korpela and the Reds were denied once again.

It would be 70 minutes before a goal would come, and unfortunately it would be the home side breaking the deadlock with Rachel Williams’s shot taking a deflection before ultimately going past Laws for the one and only goal of the match.

Liverpool very nearly had an equalizer five minutes later as Charlotte Wardlaw drove down the pitch, with a cross finding Melissa Lawley – only for her shot to soar over the crossbar.

All eyes now move towards Sunday as the Reds visit Crystal Palace back in the league, looking to maintain their great run of form and keep their heads high after this one defeat. They have had a truly stunning season so far, so as disappointing as this loss may be, there is still all to play for in the league.

Promotion, straight ahead.