Everton Women overcame local rivals Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, picking up a 1-0 victory – their first league win of the season – in the last ever Women’s Merseyside derby at
Goodison Park.
Late in the first half,
Katja Snoeijs fired the Blues into the lead from the penalty spot – and the Toffees – helped by an incredible
Courtney Brosnan double save in the second half – defended resiliently to see out a famous victory.
Last time out, Everton took a well-earned point from a positive performance at
Crystal Palace, while the Reds entered the derby hoping to bounce back from defeat to
Chelsea.
Manager
Brian Sorensen made two changes to his Everton line-up for the encounter, bringing in
Melissa Lawley – in her first WSL start of the season – and
Lucy Hope, the duo replacing Karline Olesen and
Veatriki Sarri, who began proceedings on the bench.
The visitors dominated possession during the early stages of the game, with 79 per cent of the ball across the opening 10 minutes. But Everton – organised at the back – limited chances on
Courtney Brosnan’s goal, while looking to spring quick counter-attacks at the other end.
A first chance on goal for the Toffees arrived after 27 minutes, when the Blues found
Toni Payne with a long ball down the left channel. She broke free, cutting into the penalty area and past Gemma Bonner, but curling a right-footed shot wide of the goal.
Another effort followed just minutes later, when
Clare Wheeler played forwards to Lawley, who – 25 yards from goal – took a single touch before turning and shooting low. Goalkeeper Teagan Micah was forced to make a brilliant save down to her right post.
Keeping up their pressure, the Blues found an opener on 41 minutes after
Honoka Hayashi was tripped just inside the Liverpool penalty box by Fuka Nagano.
Forward Snoeijs stepped up to take the spot-kick and she dispatched brilliantly, striking past Micah to send the Toffees into a first-half lead.
Into the second period and Brosnan made a terrific double save just eight minutes in. Olivia Smith, running down the right wing drove a low cross into the box and
Justine Vanhaevermaet blocked, before Nagano aimed at goal.
Her shot was saved by Brosnan, but the Reds No.8 followed it in, forcing an incredible close-range stop from the Everton goalkeeper to tip the ball off target.
Both sides battled as the game wore on, cancelling each other out in a closely-contested matchup.
Brosnan was tested again with 20 minutes to go, but Smith’s firmly-struck shot – taken after a delicate touch on the edge of the 18-yard-liine – was comfortably saved by the Everton goalkeeper.
Striving to hold the winning position, Sorensen made second-half changes, with
Emma Bissell, Sarri, Olesen and
Issy Hobson all sent onto the field.
Defending with fortitude and determined to leave with three points, Everton limited the opposition’s chances, with Liverpool failing to register a shot on target from 71st minute until the 95th, when Brosnan blocked crucially from Bonner.
Celebrations began around the stadium as the final whistle sounded, marking the end of the game and Everton's first three points of their 2024/25 WSL campaign - a deserved victory arriving in their final Merseyside derby at
Goodison Park.
Everton FC