Liverpool 0 West Ham 1
Icelandic midfielder Dagny Brynjarsdottir once again emphasized that she is one of the most dangerous aerial weapons in the women’s game, as she got up late and led West Ham United to the semi-finals of the Continental Tires League Cup with a slim victory over Liverpool.
The Merseyside club had no match for the 31-year-old in the air in a game that showed little difference between these two sides, apart from a few inches of extra height for the former Bayern Munich and Portland Thorns midfielder to enjoy. the penalty area to throw in Viviane Asseyi’s cross at the post.
Liverpool created good chances, but even in the dying minutes, when they hauled long throws into the penalty area in stoppage time, it was the towering Brynjarsdottir who headed clear to lead her side to victory.
Paul Konchesky’s West Ham side will face their semi-final opponents on Thursday, but they know they will likely face one of the most successful teams in the country, in a competition still dominated by the so-called ‘big three’. . Only Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal have ever won this competition, since it was founded in 2011, and the East London club will need to step up their game to prevent this from continuing.
Holders Manchester City highlighted the gap between the WSL and the second tier Women’s Championship as they cruised to a 6-0 victory away at promotion-chasing Bristol City. Despite being top of their league, the West Country-based club looked no match for a Manchester City side with a full cohort of senior international stars, who failed to register a shot on or off target.
Lauren Smith’s team did well to reach the knockout stages, but Australia’s Hayley Raso scored twice early to set the tone for the evening, before Jamaica’s Bunny Shaw, England’s Lauren Hemp and Australia’s Mary Fowler were the holders brought to a 5-0. lead. Lionesses winger Hemp’s second of the night made six on the hour.
Match details and ratings
Liverpool (4-3-3):Kirby6; Koivisto 5 (robe 6, 45), Bonner 6 (Matthews 5, 90+1), Fahey 7, Hinds 6; Kearns 7, Nagano 7 (Furness 6, 90+1), Holland 6 (Lundgaard 6, 66); Daniels 6, Stengel 7, Lawley 6 (Campbell 6, 66)
Substitutes not used: Laws (gk), Humphrey, Cumings, Taylor
Yellow cards: Daniels
West Ham United (4-5-1): Arnold 7; Shimizu 7, Fisk 7, Cissoko 6, Smith 6; Snerle 6 (Parker 7, 75), Hayashi 7, Stringer 6 (Longhurst 6, 62), Brynjarsdottir 8, Filis 7 (Evans 6, 62); Ace 7
Subs not used: Atkinson, Cairns, Hillyerd (gk), Houssein, Flannery
Yellow cards: Hayashi
Referee: Martin Woods (Lancashire)
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