Fixtures
- Aston Villa Women Vs. Liverpool Ladies – Sun, Nov 3rd 2024, 16:30
A poor first-half performance cost Aston Villa heavily as they were defeated 2-1 by Liverpool at Villa Park this afternoon.
Gabi Nunes’ goal after the restart sparked hope of a comeback for the side but a first-half brace from Taylor Hinds was enough to inflict defeat on Villa.
Robert de Pauw made one change to his side that were last in action two weeks ago as he brought Adriana Leon in for Noelle Maritz as he tested out a new formation.
After a quiet opening quarter Olivia Smith lined up a powerful shot for the visitors from inside the box, but Lucy Parker got down to make a strong block to keep out the effort.
But Liverpool were successful with their next chance in front of goal as Hinds opened the scoring on the 26thminute. Leanne Kiernan played a one-two with Grace Fisk down the right-hand side before slotting a low cross through the area and into the path of Hinds for her to fire home.
Villa looked for an immediate response and came close only two minutes later. Rachel Daly drilled a cross through a crowed penalty box and into Kirsty Hanson who took a touch before shooting but her strike was deflected over the goal.
Hinds put her side firmly in the driving seat just before the break as she made it 2-0 on the 43rd minute. A similar goal to her first, Fisk fizzed a cross from the right hand side and Hinds was on hand to smash home a first time shot.
Villa knew that they had to come out a changed side after the break and the introductions of Sarah Mayling, Lucy Staniforth and Miri Taylor gave them a new lease of life.
An energetic first few minutes saw them reduce the deficit on the 49th minute as Nunes made it two goals in two games. Mayling beat her marker down the right before rolling the ball to Staniforth who looped a brilliant cross deep into the box for Nunes to nod home.
Daly found Hanson inside the box on the 61st minute but the Scotland international’s low shot was stopped by Rachel Laws.
Hanson tried her luck again 13 minutes later as she drove the ball through the final third but her strike from distance was again well held.
Villa continued to pile on the pressure inside the final stages despite Liverpool’s best efforts of slowing down the game and Taylor came agonisingly close to rescuing a point in spectacular fashion but her thundering shot from distance on the third minute of added time was saved.
