Liverpool Women fell victim to a comeback from Aston Villa, as the Reds lost 2-1 at home after taking the lead through Marie Hobinger.
Liverpool Women 1-2 Aston Villa Women
WSL (18), St Helens StadiumMarch 30, 2025
Goals: Hobinger 57′ (pen); Hanson 68′, Clark og. 87′
Before the game had even started, Liverpool were dealt a blow when key forward Olivia Smith was ruled out with a hip injury.
Instead, interim manager Amber Whiteley started a front three of Leanne Kiernan, Sophie Roman Haug and Cornelia Kapocs, who have just four league goals between them this season.
Lining up for Aston Villa was Missy Bo Kearns, a previous fans’ favourite at Liverpool before leaving in search of more regular football last summer.
The first half was an even contest that Liverpool grew into and began to dominate as the clock ticked closer to half time.
Set-pieces were the name of the game for the Reds, but they couldn’t make them count as they loaded the box with centre-halves Jasmine Matthews and Gemma Bonner, as well as tall target woman Roman Haug.
Though the Reds looked best in the latter period of the first half, it was actually soon after half time when they threatened the opposition goal most.
From an Aston Villa corner, Ceri Holland capitalised on an error on the halfway line and carried the ball all the way into the penalty area, where she was brought down by goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo.
Höbinger makes no mistake from the spot! ?#BarclaysWSL @LiverpoolFCW pic.twitter.com/Br2XqO2bo6
— Barclays Women’s Super League (@BarclaysWSL) March 30, 2025
As ever, Marie Hobinger maintained her class over the dead ball and gave the ‘keeper the eyes as she slotted low, to D’Angelo’s left, for her fourth goal of the campaign.
That was the high point of the afternoon, though, for the Reds, as they frustratingly failed to push on after the opener.
In the 68th minute, three minutes after coming on, Kirsty Hanson produced a brilliant finish from a tight angle for the visitors, having been dribbled around goalkeeper Rachael Laws after being played in behind by a good pass from the watching crowd’s former hero, Kearns.
The winner then came in the 87th minute after a spell of dangerous attacks from Villa down the right.
Ebony Salmon reached the right byline and squared the ball only for substitute Jenna Clark to accidentally turn the ball beyond her own ‘keeper at the near post.
The result leaves Liverpool sixth in the WSL, two points above Everton, one behind Brighton and 14 behind fourth-place Man City.
After the international break comes the biggest game of Liverpool’s season, an FA Cup semi-final away at league leaders Chelsea.
Liverpool player of the match: Ceri Holland
Liverpool Women: Laws; Fisk, Bonner, Matthews (Clark 83′), Hinds; Hobinger, Nagano, Holland; Kiernan (Enderby 65′), Kapocs, Roman Haug
Subs not used: Micah, Evans, Daniels, Bernabe, Bartel, Kerr, Shaw
Next match: Chelsea (A) – FA Cup semi-final – Saturday, April 12, 12.15pm (BST)
