Free-kick secures points as Liverpool Women make winning start in League Cup
Liverpool Women opened their League Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Sunderland, thanks to a free-kick from Megan Campbell.
The Women’s League Cup format includes an initial group stage, with Liverpool competing in Group B this season against Sunderland, Leicester, Blackburn, and reigning champions Manchester City.
Matt Beard’s side has had a mixed start to the Women’s Super League, with a hugely impressive opening day victory over champions Chelsea followed by a 3-0 Anfield defeat to Everton.
The team that was defeated in the Merseyside derby saw seven changes, with the likes of Eartha Cumings, Hannah Silcock, and Rachel Furness all coming into the lineup.
Defender Rhiannon Roberts was also set to start but withdrew as a precaution, with Emma Koivisto taking her place.
Liverpool, who were wearing the club’s brand new green third kit, got off to a good start, with Katie Stengel sending an early effort crashing off the crossbar.
When Yana Daniels was brought down on the edge of the box, Campbell stepped up and fired her free kick into the bottom corner.
Daniels had two good chances to extend the lead before halftime, and there were chances for Silcock, Furness, and Stengel in the second half, but Campbell’s free-kick was enough to secure the points.
The winners of each of the five League Cup groups, along with the best runner-up, will advance to the quarter-finals, with Arsenal and Chelsea joining them in the knockout stages.
Last season, the Reds reached the League Cup quarter-finals before losing 1-0 to Tottenham.
Liverpool Women’s next WSL match will be against Tottenham in two weeks, and their next League Cup match will be against Leicester on October 26.
Cumings, Koivisto, Robe, Silcock (Flaherty, 64), Matthews, Campbell (Hinds, 46), Furness (Holland, 84), Wardlaw (Kearns, 46), Humphrey (Lawley, 56), Daniels, and Stengel for Liverpool FC Women.
Laws, Kirby, and Fahey were not substituted.
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