Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool: Sam Kerr bags late winner for the hosts to pile pressure on Man United

Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool: Sam Kerr bags late winner for the hosts after first half goals from Emma Koivisto and Niamh Charles, as hosts move within four points of WSL leaders Man United

  • Chelsea moved within four points of WSL leaders Man United on Wednesday
  • It came as they beat Liverpool 2-1 thanks to a late winner from Sam Kerr
  • Liverpool took an early lead through Emma Koivisto  but could not hold on 

<!–

<!–

<!–

<!–
(function (src, d, tag){ var s = d.createElement(tag), prev = d.getElementsByTagName(tag)[0]; s.src = src; prev.parentNode.insertBefore(s, prev); }(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/1.17.0/async_bundle–.js”, document, “script”));
<!– DM.loadCSS(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/gunther-2159/video_bundle–.css”);
<!–

 Sam Kerr’s late winner kept Chelsea in control of their Women’s Super League title destiny as they saw off Liverpool 2-1.

The Australia international struck four minutes from time at Kingsmeadow to complete a laboured comeback win after Niamh Charles had cancelled out Emma Koivisto’s early opener.

Victory left Emma Hayes’ side, playing for the first time since their Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Barcelona, four points behind leaders Manchester United and a point adrift of Manchester City with two games in hand on both teams.

The visitors, who won the reverse fixture 2-1 in September, stunned their hosts when they took a second-minute lead, full-back Koivisto smashing home a volley after Natasha Dowie had crossed to the back post.

Debutant goalkeeper Faye Kirby denied Guro Reiten at her near post after 14 minutes and then palmed away Kerr’s 22nd-minute header as the Blues responded.

Sam Kerr bagged a late winner on Wednesday as Chelsea beat Liverpool

Sam Kerr bagged a late winner on Wednesday as Chelsea beat Liverpool

Liverpool took the lead through Emma Koivisto after just two minutes but could not hold on

Liverpool took the lead through Emma Koivisto after just two minutes but could not hold on

Niamh Charles brought the Blues level on the stroke of half time before Kerr's winner

Niamh Charles brought the Blues level on the stroke of half time before Kerr’s winner

They finally got their reward four minutes before the break when Charles glanced Eve Perisset’s corner past 19-year-old Kirby, although it took a fine stoppage-time save by Ann-Katrin Berger to keep out Shanice van de Sanden before Perisset blocked Dowie’s follow-up to ensure their side went in level.

Hayes made her move within nine minutes of the restart, sending on Pernille Harder and Jelena Cankovic for Lauren James and Erin Cuthbert, and the two newcomers almost made a swift impact with Harder only just failing to connect with Cankovic’s whipped 63rd-minute cross.

Frustration mounted among the Chelsea ranks as the breakthrough remained stubbornly beyond them with Reiten seeing an 82nd-minute strike ruled out for offside.

A point would have left the reigning champions six points behind United with a worse goal difference.

But they regained control of the title race with four minutes left when Kerr stabbed home the winner after Jessie Fleming’s attempt had crashed back off the crossbar and dropped to her.

MATCH FACTS

Chelsea:  Berger, Perisset, Carter, Eriksson, Charles, Cuthbert (Cankovic, 54), Leupolz (Kaneryd, 80), Reiten, James (Harder, 54), Kerr, Fleming

Unused subs: Musovic, Ingle, Abdullina, 

Goals: Charles (41), Kerr (86)

Liverpool:  Kirby,  Koivisto, Bonner, Roberts, Matthews, Hinds, Kearns (Humphrey 82), Taylor, Holland, van de Sanden, Dowie

Unused subs: Laws, Robe, Lundgaard, Cumings, Stengel

Goals: Koivisto (2)

Bookings: Koivisto

Leave a Reply