City leave it late in gritty Liverpool win

Grace Fisk’s 90th-minute own goal and a Lauren Hemp effort deep into added time maintained our 100% start in the WSL this season.

It had looked like we’d have to settle for a point as stoppage time approached, with Hemp’s early effort cancelled out by Alice Bergstrom and Vivien Endemann strikes in an end to end first 45.

Bunny Shaw bundled home an equaliser from close-range on the stroke of the break having hit the post earlier in the half, with a dramatic turnaround then completed late on.

What Happened

City came into the tie with the only remaining 100% record in the WSL but were facing an in-form and unbeaten Liverpool side at a rain-sodden Joie Stadium.

Something had to give and, a brief stoppage for an Iman Beney head injury aside, City started brightly with Hemp forcing a fine save out of Khiara Keating with a vicious drive early on.

But the England winger would break the deadlock soon after, finishing off a fluid team move with a clinical low strike across goal and into the bottom corner.

Liverpool fought back to take the lead before the half-hour though, first when Bergstrom snuck an effort past Ayaka Yamashita after the visitors had stolen possession, before Endemann smashed a loose ball home after a mix-up at the back.

That setback sprung City back to life though, with Shaw hitting the post from a tight angle after rounding Keating.

But the Jamaican would pounce in first half stoppage time to draw us level after Hemp’s initial effort had been spilled.

Shaw went close again as the hour mark approached, flicking a dangerous effort towards the near post, but Keating came out on top this time with a fine reaction save.

The game was being played at a frenetic tempo, but despite both sides’ efforts to get their noses in front, true clearcut chances were few and far between.

That was until a stroke of luck late on, as Clinton’s dangerous cross was deflected into the Liverpool net by Fisk, who had stretched out a boot to prevent Shaw from getting on the end of it.

And as the visitors committed bodies forward in search of an equaliser, Hemp broke forward and confidently stroked home her second and City’s fourth to seal the points.

Fighting ‘til the end

City were well aware of how difficult a task we had on our hands to maintain this season’s 100% WSL record, with Liverpool coming to the Joie Stadium with an unbeaten record of their own.

In many ways, it had a similar feel to our dramatic 1-0 triumph at the end of the 2025/26 campaign - a victory which all-but sealed the title.

Just like that win back in May, Andrée Jeglertz’s side once again showed a steel to match our silk – grinding out the win after falling behind.

Squad goals

Our clash with Liverpool was the first of four in the space of just 14 days, with City also facing trips to Munich and South London in that period.

It’s the first test for Andrée Jeglertz’s side in terms of balancing UEFA Champions League commitments with our defence of the WSL, but bright performances from both Beth Mead and Iman Beney – the two changes to our 4-1 win over Aston Villa – bodes well for that schedule.

Allowing the likes of Kerstin Casparij, Sam Coffey, Aoba Fujino and Grace Clinton to also rest up ahead of a trip to the Allianz, each making lively cameos and the latter’s cross forcing our third goal of the evening, is also positive as we look to compete in the WSL and Europe.

How we lined up

City XI: Yamashita, Beney (Casparij 62’), Rose, Greenwood (C), Wamser, Blindkilde Brown (Coffey 62’), Hasegawa, Mead (Clinton 76’), Fowler (Fujino 62’), Hemp, Shaw.

Subs: Cumings, Wienroither, Prior, Davies, Davis

Liverpool XI: Keating, Fisk (C), Ramos (Haug 90+3’), Kapocs, Nagano, Endemann (Hobinger 90+3’), Olsson (Csillag 77’), Clark, Kerr (Agrez 90+3’), Bergstrom, Bernabe

Liverpool Subs: Kirby, Enderby, Breen, Trueman

Up next

City return to UEFA Women’s Champions League action on Tuesday 22 September, travelling the Germany to face Bayern Munich.

Kick-off at the Allianz Arena is set for 17:45 (UK) as we prepare for the first of six League Phase fixtures.