Liverpool Women 1-3 Arsenal Women: Match Report | OneFootball

Liverpool’s Women returned to action for the first time following the heartbreaking late defeat at the hands of Brighton in the FA Cup semi-finals last weekend, with Gareth Taylor’s side looking to end the season in a positive manner as they welcomed Arsenal to Anfield. 

The Reds announced earlier in the week that the game would be the final one of Gemma Evans, who will leave the club at the expiration of her deal and club legend Gemma Bonner, who will also leave in the coming weeks as a free agent. 

Bonner leaves after her second spell, having captained Liverpool to successive Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014, and the 34-year-old leaves as the club’s all-time record appearance holder in the WSL era, having played 186 games.

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After a relatively even opening 20 minutes, the breakthrough came when Alessia Russo delivered a ball into the area that somehow evaded Jen Falk in the Reds’ goal, who until that point had proved unbeatable, pulling off a string of impressive saves. 

Just after the half-hour mark, the lead was doubled when Mariona Caldentey found far too much room inside the penalty area, having had the ball worked to her from a short corner – once again Falk pulling off a superb save to force the corner – before firing home from a tight angle. 

Things went from bad to worse for the Reds when Russo got her second, this time finishing off a well-worked Arsenal move, firing into the top right-hand corner left-footed.

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Cornelia Kapocs replaced Mia Enderby at the break, but it was the introduction of Bonner on the hour mark that received the biggest reception of the afternoon, with the defender coming on for her 187th and final Liverpool appearance. 

Another substitute, Zara Shaw, pulled one back for Taylor’s side, volleying home on the turn in the area after a mimentary scramble following a corner. 

Both teams threatened to add to their tallies, but a combination of wasteful finishing, strong defending and quality goalkeeping meant it was to be just the four goals at Anfield on the final day of the season. 

Ultimately, a disappointing end to the campaign with FA Cup heartbreak and back-to-back league defeats; however, there is certainly cause for optimism heading into 26/27, given the dramatic upturn in form since the turn of the year.