Report: Palace Women edged out in close contest against Liverpool

Summary:

• Blanchard and Larkin return to the squad whilst Swaby is handed the armband
• 3: Höbinger meets a good cross from the right side but her header is off-target
• 10 – GOAL: Palace fail to clear from a corner, and Matthews is there to smash the ball home
• 37: Weerden picks the pall up in space and hits a fierce shot that stings the gloves of Laws in the Liverpool net
• 44: Larkin is put through but Laws is equal to her shot
• HT: Palace 0 - 1 Liverpool
• 48: Woodham is booked for a challenge on the edge of the area
• 54: Haug is denied brilliantly by Yañez, and can't get the follow-up attempt on target
• 66: Cato's powerful effort is deflected just wide of the post
• 79: Smith wriggles away from the Palace defence but her shot is blazed wide
• 87: The ball falls kindly to Cato who's first and second effort are saved by Laws
• FT: Palace 0 - 1 Liverpool

It was a game of few chances at the VBS Community Stadium, but the away side managed to come away with the points thanks to an early goal.

Nine minutes into the game and a dangerous ball was delivered into the box from a corner, which Palace failed to deal with.

Matthews was in the right spot at the right time, and smashed the ball into the net after it deflected fortuitously into her path.

Palace did manage to test Liverpool goalkeeper Rachael Laws several times throughout the first half.

Both Ashleigh Weerden and Abbie Larkin had their efforts saved just before half-time, as Liverpool managed to keep Palace at bay.

The second half saw Sophie Román Haug go close to doubling the away lead, after Shae Yañez saved brilliantly from her initial effort but the Norway international blazed her second attempt over the bar.

Laws was brought into action again in the 66th minute after she scrambled to clear My Cato's deflected strike.

She denied the Sweden international again on 87 minutes, after Cato struck a fierce effort from just inside the box.

Despite Palace's endeavour, Liverpool managed to withstand the pressure and hang on for the win.

This result leaves Palace 12th in the WSL, with a massive away trip to Chelsea in the Adobe Women's FA Cup quarter-final coming up on Sunday, 9th March.

You can get tickets for that fixture here!

Palace: Yañez (GK), Woodham, Swaby, Green, Larkin (Öling, 72), Blanchard (Hughes, 84), Riley, Potter, Cato, Larisey, Weerden

Subs not used: Majasaari (GK), Arthur, Gibbons, Sharpe, Nouwen, Atkinson

Liverpool: Laws (GK), Fisk, Matthews, Kapocs (Daniels, 77), Haug (Enderby, 60), Smith, Hinds, Höbinger (Bartel, 60), Holland, Bonner, Kerr (Nagand, 81)

Subs not used: Teagan (GK), Parry, Evans, Clark, Shaw