Robe harshly denied glory in thrilling derby

Liverpool

The Merseyside derby attracted a record crowd of 22,161 for a WSL game at Goodison Park, plus a touch of controversy, as Everton and Liverpool fought out a highly entertaining draw. Liverpool wanted revenge for their 3-0 humbling at Anfield earlier in the season and thought they had it when Leighanne Robe converted early in the second half, only for the strike to be harshly disallowed for a slight push inside the area.

Everton led through their captain, Gabby George, before Katie Stengel levelled for Liverpool shortly before the interval. Both teams had their chances in an open, frenetic second half but excellence from Everton’s goalkeeper, Courtney Brosnan, and the referee’s intervention on Robe’s effort ensured a share of the spoils.

George provided the spark that the derby and the crowd desperately needed. The game laboured for 27 minutes with both teams creating little. Liverpool’s Missy Bo Kearns had an early shot blocked after a long throw from Megan Campbell caused mayhem inside the Everton penalty area but incident was otherwise lacking until a patient move from the home team produced an eye-catching breakthrough.

Katrine Veje, the lively Jess Park and Clare Wheeler combined to find their captain in space on the left. George checked inside Robe as the Liverpool defender closed in, looked up and curled a powerful shot from a tight angle over the goalkeeper, Rachael Laws, into the far, top corner. A cross or a deliberate, stunning shot? Either way, Laws was despondent at being caught out.

The breakthrough served as a spark for Liverpool. The most notable feature of their night before falling behind was their manager, Matt Beard, being interviewed by Sky when Everton were on the attack in the 20th minute. Energy and adventure flowed through the visitors after

George’s goal, however, and they seized control of the contest for the remainder of the first half.

Leading goalscorer Stengel went close from the edge of the area after cutting inside Finnigan. Kearns dragged a decent opening wide when released behind the Everton rearguard by Yana Daniels while poor defending allowed Emma Koivisto to break free in the box seconds later. The full-back’s first time shot trickled just wide of Brosnan’s lefthand post. An equaliser was coming, however, and the Everton goalkeeper was eventually beaten when Taylor Hinds’ shot from distance was deflected into the path of Stengel. The American forward controlled sharply, sent two Everton defenders the wrong way and placed a measured finish inside the far corner.

Liverpool continued to threaten throughout an entertaining second half and thought they had taken the lead when Robe converted from a well-worked corner routine. Almost everyone else inside Goodison thought so too, only for the referee, Lauren Impey, to disallow the closerange strike for a push by Ceri Holland on the Everton keeper as Kearns’ corner arrived at the near post. Contact appeared minimal at best.

Park was inches away from restoring Everton’s lead when launching herself at a Nicoline Sørensen cross. Her back post header sailed just wide. The second half flowed from end to end as the local rivals refused to settle for a point. Megan Finnigan produced a superb block to deny Stengel a second after Liverpool’s Shanice van de Sanden had escaped down the right. Brosnan made a vital intervention in stoppage time to prevent Stengel pouncing on Miri Taylor’s header across the goalmouth. The Everton keeper also denied Holland in the final seconds to ensure the Merseyside honours were even.