Adam Mitten

Liverpool were 2-0 winners over London City Lionesses in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday at Princes Park.  The Reds goals were scored by Sophie Roman Haug and Mel Lawley.

This was Darren Smith’s first match in interim charge of the Pride after Carolina Morace and Nicola Williams had left the club on Wednesday but his side rarely threatened the visitors goal.

Liverpool had the first opportunity of the match within the first minute but Roman Haug sent her half volley over the crossbar. In the 3rd minute, Jenna Clark shot over from 30-yards out after being allowed to advance. 

The visitors continued their early pressure when a Lucy Parry cross into the area was headed clear.  From a corner in the 5th minute, Grace Fisk saw an effort cleared off the line. 

Liverpool deservedly took the lead a minute later when Jasmine Matthews sent in a superb cross from the left side that Roman Haug headed it into the net from close range.

In the 12th minute, Matthews found space at the far post but put her effort wide for the visitors.  The Reds high tempo start led to another chance seconds later but Lawley saw her shot saved.

The visitors defended well to stop Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah from getting a cross in when the home side launched a rare attack in the opening 20 minutes.  

At the other end, Roman Haug couldn’t get enough on a cross and saw the ball go wide of the post.  Another Liverpool cross from the right to the far post was met by Matthews but her effort was deflected behind.

In the 23rd minute, Nicole Douglas was unable to sort her feet out and the visitors defence got back to clear the ball. 

Two minutes later, Lawley’s cross found Ceri Holland but her first time strike was saved by the Pride’s goalkeeper Grace Moloney.  Marie Hobinger shot wide a couple of minutes later as the Reds looked to increase their lead.  Moloney made a good save in the 29th minute when she dived at full length to stop a Lawley shot from long-range.

A corner from the visitors was headed on to the bar by Clark before being scrambled behind in the 35th minute,

The hosts put a bit of pressure on the Liverpool defence in the 42nd minute but couldn’t get any shots towards goal.  The half time whistle blew with the score still only 1-0 to the away side.

An inswinging free kick from Hobinger was clawed away by Moloney as the Reds had the first opportunity of the second half in the 50th minute. 

A cross from Boye-Hlorkah landed on the roof of the net which was about as close as the home side had come to scoring so far.

Roman Haug headed wide following a corner in the 55th minute, then four minutes later, the Norwegian international saw another header go off target.

London City Lionesses were more in it during the second half though still not getting many clear opportunities at goal.

The Reds made it 2-0 in the 67th minute when a long Rachel Laws kick down the field was flicked on by Roman Haug into Lawley’s path and she hit the ball into the net via the crossbar.

Both of Liverpool’s goalscorers were taken off in the 70th minute as Matt Beard made his final substitutions of the afternoon.

Lois Joel was unable to get on the end of a cross two minutes later as the home side looked to get back into the match.  A corner was then headed off the line by Koivisto. 

Yana Daniels’ long-range shot in the 80th minute was easily caught by the Pride’s goalkeeper.  Mia Enderby put an effort over after a nice move from the visitors. 

Maddi Wilde had a chance to get a goal back for the hosts during stoppage time but her shot from outside the area went over. 

Liverpool still had time to hit the side netting after Enderby had been played in by Hobinger, and then they saw an effort from a corner cleared off the line.  There were no more goals as the Reds booked their place in the quarter-finals.

Line ups

London City Lionesses: Moloney, Mukandi, Brougham, Joel (c), Scofield (Satchell 85’), Douglas (Wilde 79’), Fitzgerald, Carter, Culver, Littlejohn (Groves 62’), Boye-Hlorkah

Unused substitutes: Cull, Dolby, Bailey, Cowan, Jarrett, Farrelly

Liverpool: Laws, Fisk, Fahey (c), Matthews, Nugano, Roman Haug (Kiernan 70’), Lawley (Enderby 70’), Hobinger, Clark (Daniels 56’), Holland (Lundgaard 63’), Parry (Koivisto 56’)

Unused substitutes: Spencer, van de Sanden, Bonner

Goals – Roman Haug 6’, Lawley 67’

Referee – Chloe-Ann Small