Liverpool 1, Aston Villa 2: Reds Drop Points From Winning Position Yet Again

03/30/2025 12:30 PM

The Liverpool FC Women went ahead after earning a penalty kick, but the Reds could not hold onto the lead as they conceded twice to a relegation-threatened Aston Villa side.

Liverpool 1 - 2 Aston Villa

Liverpool: Höbinger 57' (pen)

Aston Villa: Hanson 68', Clark 87' (OG)

Pre-Match

The Liverpool F Women return home to face a relegation-threatened Aston Villa side. The Reds will be looking to rebound from the thumping they received from Arsenal last weekend. Liverpool will face two familiar faces, as both Missy Bo Kearns and Miri Taylor start for the visitors.

Amber Whiteley makes a few changes to the side that last last weekend, with the biggest being an enforced change. Olivia Smith will miss out due to a hip injury, so Leanne Kiernan gets a start in the attacking band. Marie Höbinger returns to the starting lineup in midfield, with Fuka Nagano dropping back into a holding role. Sam Kerr is the player left on the bench. Gemma Bonner makes a return to the center of defense in place of Jenna Clark.

First Half

There are rugby lines down at St. Helens Stadium, but the pitch looks to be in fabulous condition. The ball is moving nicely along the surface as Liverpool ping it around in the early going.

Neither side able to get the upper hand during the opening stages of the match. Liverpool look to press and win the ball back in the attacking half, and Ceri Holland stays down after landing awkwardly from a strong challenge. The medical staff are out to check on her, and it looks like her shoulder is where the pain is. She's able to walk off after a couple minutes of treatment, and Liverpool restart play with a free kick that comes to nothing.

Liverpool are struggling to maintain meaningful possession, and are losing out on the ball frequently as they approach midfield. Aston Villa are starting to move the ball with some confidence in the attacking half, and see a move down their right flank midway through the first half end with a nice snap shot on target from Rachel Daly. It's from a tough angle and Rachael Laws is able to comfortably gather the shot. Warning signs are there for the Reds, however.

Fuka Nagano tries to shield a bouncing ball in the defensive half, but an Aston Villa player sticks a boot in and flicks the ball away. The ball is moved around quickly before it ends up with Ebony Salmon on the right. The striker takes a shot, but it is well high and wide of the net. The sequence highlights the struggles Liverpool are having maintaining possession however.

Liverpool move the ball forward but lose possession in the attacking third. Leanne Kiernan presses and runs onto a weak back pass in the box. Goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo races off of her line and clears the ball just before the Liverpool striker can get a touch.

Liverpool play a ball over the top for Leanne Kiernan. The Irish striker gathers the ball just past midfield and races forward down the right wing with a defender on her hip. She gets to the end line and sees her cross blocked out for a corner. The delivery in is good, but nothing comes of it.

The Reds are starting to make inroads now. Liverpool win a free kick on the right wing, and the delivery in from Marie Höbinger is fantastic. She drives the ball to the back post where Sophie Roman Haug is lurking. The Norwegian striker heads the ball towards the back post and forces a diving save. Jasmine Matthews was in the middle and almost was able to get to the ball as it came back in as well. Best chance from the Reds so far.

Liverpool with some slick play down the right, with several players finding ways to combine in tight spaces. It all comes to nothing when Grace Fisk gets caught in two minds and passes it directly to an Aston Villa player.

Cornelia Kapocs earns a corner on the left, and Maire Höbinger again creates a great opportunity from her set piece delivery. The ball in is flicked on and falls to the feet of Gemma Bonner at the edge of the six yard box. Her effort is blocked, but only to Sophie Roman Haug a couple of feet away. Roman Haug tries to get her feet sorted, and ends up dropping the ball to Ceri Holland at the edge of the box. The midfielder drives a shot goalwards, but it is blocked and bounces towards the end line where it is cleared out for a throw.

Aston Villa slice through the Liverpool midfield and defense on the last minute of regulation time in the first half. They moved the ball to Ebony Salmon on the right, and the striker delivers a fantastic ball into the six yard box for the run of Rachel Daley. Grace Fisk sticks with Daly on the run and does just enough to force the shot over the bar.

Liverpool charge forward as Ceri Holland wins the ball back with a good press. Miri Taylor pulls Holland down as the Reds stream forward and Liverpool are awarded the foul and Taylor is shown a yellow card.

The Reds put the set piece into the box and again Sophie Roman Haug gets her head to it and puts it back towards goal. There is a scramble in front of net, but Liverpool cannot convert yet again in the last significant action of the first half.

Liverpool have generated some solid chances in the first half, primarily from set piece opportunities. They have not kept consistent pressure in the attacking half, however, and Aston Villa have shown they have the ability to create if the Reds are not careful.

Second Half

Liverpool look to get off to a quick start in the second half as Cornelia Kapocs is sent clear down the left wing with a ball over the top. She cuts inside a defender as she enters the box and looks to have a step, but she leaves the ball behind and stumbles, allowing the ball to be cleared. Maire Höbinger is down behind the play and needs to receive treatment as she looks to have tweaked her neck. She's able to get up and return to play a few moments after the ball is put back in motion.

PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! Ceri Holland is sent clean through after a ball rebounds off of an Aston Villa player in the Liverpool half. Holland races forward with the ball with several players chasing her. She advances into the box and D'Angelo comes off her line. Holland touches the ball past the goalkeeper and is taken out to earn the spot kick.

GOAL LIVERPOOL!!! Maire Höbinger is the player who steps up to take the penalty kick. She takes a short run up and calmly rolls the ball to the left as the keeper dives the wrong way.

Aston Vila look to quickly find and equalizer as Miri Taylor delivers a sensational cross from the left. It bounces past an attacker in front of goal and goes all the way to Chasity Grant at the back post. She fires a shot on target from close range and Rachael Laws makes a great save to push the ball past the post for a corner. Sophie Roman Haug heads the ball clear.

Amber Whiteley makes her first change of the match. Mia Enderby is sent on in place of Leanne Kiernan.

Liverpool almost double their lead in the 66th minute. Taylor Hinds is fouled on the left wing, and Höbinger again sends in a great set piece. It finds the head of Mia Enderby at the back post, and the attacker puts the ball back across the face of goal. There is a scramble in front of the net, but the Reds cannot force the ball in past the legs of several defenders.

Goal Aston Villa. Missy Bo Kearns sends Kirsty Hanson free down the left channel just moments after the Liverpool chance. Rachael Laws comes running out to the edge of the box, but Hanson pushes the ball wide past the goalkeeper. She takes a shot from a difficult angle with two Liverpool defenders racing back to the open goal, and the ball has just enough bend to find its way inside the near post and out of the reach of Grace Fisk for the equalizer.

Both sides are pushing for the winning goal in the last 15 minutes of regulation. Liverpool have gotten the ball around the box, but struggled to get any shots away as Cornelia Kapocs has tripped over the ball and Marie Höbinger took one touch too many. At the other end, Aston Villa have created a couple of very good chances. Gemma Bonner misplayed a ball that allowed a shot from inside the box, but Rachael Laws was able to get down to make the save.

Liverpool make a second change in the 83rd minute. Jenna Clark comes on in a straight swap for Jasmine Matthews at center back.

Goal Aston Villa. It's an absolute gut punch as Ebony Salmon gets down the right flank and drives a ball across the face of goal from the end line. There are multiple Liverpool defenders facing their own net with attackers on hand, and Jenna Clark sees the ball come off her leg and bounce past Rachael Laws for an own goal. It's a tough goal to swallow, but Aston Villa have looked the more likely side to score in the late stages of the match.

There will be nine minutes of extra time for Liverpool to try and find a point from this match.

Ceri Holland is fouled outside the right edge of the box. Maire Höbinger drives the free kick into the box, but Liverpool cannot get on the end of it.

Liverpool loose the ball all to easily and Aston Villa counter. Grace Fisk clips the heels of the player carrying the ball and is shown a yellow card.

The free kick is played short into the corner. Three Liverpool players surround Ebony Salmon on the ball, and it still manages to come out to an Aston Villa player who is then fouled just outside the box. The free kick again goes to the corner and Aston Villa earn a throw in, a corner, and another throw in in short order as they look to kill off the clock.

Liverpool are trying to play to feet to move the ball forward, but in a couple of cases take heavy touches to turn the ball over. They can't get the ball back into the attacking third and fail to get any attack off before the final whistle blows.

Final Thoughts

Liverpool yet again take a lead that they cannot hold. The Reds never really took over the match against a team hovering just above the bottom of the table. Liverpool had a chances to grow their lead, but failed to take their chances before Aston Villa equalized and eventually took the lead. It's a story we've seen all too frequently this season, and one that leaves the squad and supporters frustrated.

The players will now head off for international duty before returning to take on Chelsea in the FA Women's Cup semifinal. Liverpool will then have three matches against sides close to them in the table in Brighton, Spurs, and Everton before closing out the season with Chelsea.