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In one of the most dramatic Merseyside derbies in Women’s Super League history, Liverpool FCW produced a breathtaking comeback at Goodison Park, overturning a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2 thanks to Zara Kramžar’s devastating 91st-minute finish. Everton had looked set to claim derby bragging rights after Ceri Holland’s brace, including a first-half penalty, gave them the lead heading into the final quarter, but Aurora Galli’s equaliser and then her assist for Kramžar’s winner turned the tie on its head. The match was not without its controversy: Grace Fisk’s second yellow card in the 66th minute reduced Liverpool to ten women, making their eventual victory all the more remarkable and leaving Goodison Park in stunned silence.
First Half Report
Opening Exchanges
Liverpool FCW arrived at Goodison Park with clear intent, and the opening fifteen minutes reflected that ambition. Marc Skinner’s side, or whichever tactician was at the helm, set up in a compact mid-block that quickly transitioned into a high press, suffocating Everton’s build-up play and forcing errors in dangerous areas. The possession stats told a story of Liverpool’s early dominance: 51.3% to Everton’s 48.7% in the first half, but more tellingly, Liverpool launched seven shots in the first period compared to Everton’s two, with three of those efforts testing Courtney Brosnan in the Everton goal. Everton, playing in front of their home crowd, struggled to find rhythm in those early exchanges, with Yuka Momiki and Inma Gabarro unable to get on the ball in threatening positions. The tempo was high and the intensity fierce — everything a Merseyside derby should be — but it was Liverpool who looked the more dangerous side in those opening exchanges, despite Everton eventually settling into the game.
Goal & Key Moment Breakdown
The match’s first major flashpoint arrived in the 11th minute, and it was Everton who capitalised. A foul inside the Liverpool penalty area gave referee Phoebe Cross no choice but to point to the spot, and Ceri Holland, Liverpool’s own midfielder, stepped up to take the penalty. In a moment of supreme irony, it was Holland converting from twelve yards to give Everton the lead, 1-0. The Goodison faithful erupted. However, Liverpool’s response was swift and equally dramatic. In the 20th minute, a delivery into the Everton box caused chaos, and Martina Fernández Vil, under pressure and attempting to clear, ar diverted the ball into her own net. An own goal levelled proceedings at 1-1, gifting Liverpool an equaliser they barely deserved on the balance of play to that point, but one that reflected their persistent attacking pressure. The first half’s decisive moment came in the 41st minute when Holland struck again, ain this time from open play, assisted by Beata Olsson’s intelligent delivery to restore Everton’s advantage and send them into the break leading 2-1. It was a goal that rewarded Everton’s resilience and gave them a platform to build on after the interval. Grace Fisk’s yellow card in the 15th minute for a foul added another layer of tension to an already combustible afternoon.
First Half Talking Points
The standout performer in the first half was undeniably Ceri Holland, who contributed both of Everton’s goals,oals albeit the first was an own goal from the opposition’s perspective and showed the kind of decisive quality that defines big-game players. Beata Olsson was equally impressive for Liverpool, her assist for Holland’s second goal demonstrating her technical quality and vision from deeper positions. The booking of Grace Fisk in the 15th minute was a significant subplot: it left Liverpool’s defender walking a disciplinary tightrope for the remainder of the match, and would prove catastrophic in the second half. Everton’s momentum going into half-time was palpable. They led 2-1, had weathered Liverpool’s early storm, and had the crowd behind them. Liverpool, however, had generated the greater volume of chances in the first period and would have felt the scoreline flattered their opponents.
| First Half Stats | Everton FC | Liverpool FCW |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 48.7% | 51.3% |
| Shots | 2 | 7 |
| Shots on Target | 0 | 3 |
| Corners | 2 | 1 |
| Fouls | 8 | 5 |
| Bookings | 0 | 1 (G. Fisk, 15′) |
Second Half Report
How the Second Half Opened
Everton made an immediate and decisive change at the break, withdrawing Yuka Momiki and introducing Melissa Lawley, a statement of intent to add wider attacking threat and energy to their game. The substitution signalled that Everton’s management was not content to simply protect their lead but wanted to press home their advantage. The second half opened with Everton in the ascendancy, their possession climbing to a dominant 61.4% as they pinned Liverpool back. With 16 shots in the second period compared to Liverpool’s two, Everton were the overwhelming aggressors, but football, as ever, cared little for statistics. Liverpool, increasingly desperate and stretched, found themselves reduced to ten players in the 66th minute when Grace Fisk received her second yellow card for an off-the-ball foul, a moment that seemed to have sealed Everton’s victory. Yet the numbers on the pitch would not tell the full story of what followed.
Goal & Key Moment Breakdown
The 64th minute produced Liverpool’s lifeline. Aurora Galli Everton’s own midfielder latched onto a chance from open play and finished with clinical precision to make it 2-2, silencing Goodison Park and reigniting the match. The goal was a moment of individual brilliance that cut through Everton’s defensive structure and demonstrated Galli’s ability to produce in the biggest moments. Just two minutes later, Grace Fisk’s second yellow card arrived, reducing Liverpool to ten women and seemingly handing Everton the initiative once more. Everton poured forward in the closing stages, generating chance after chance, their 16 second-half shots a testament to their territorial dominance, but Jennifer Falk in the Liverpool goal was equal to everything thrown at her, making crucial saves to keep her side level. Then, in the 91st minute, came the sucker punch. Galli, who had already changed the game with her equaliser,r turned provider, threading a pass through to Zara Kramžar, who composed herself magnificently to fire past Brosnan and send Liverpool’s bench into delirium. It was a goal of breathtaking quality from a side playing with ten women, and it will live long in the memory of everyone present at Goodison.
Substitutions Report
The substitution story of this match was fascinating on both sides. Everton’s introduction of Melissa Lawley at half-time (for Momiki) was the first move, designed to inject pace and directness into their attacking play, and it coincided with their dominant second-half possession spell. Karina Gago replaced Inma Gabarro in the 55th minute, adding fresh legs in the attacking midfield area as Everton sought to extend their lead. Gemma Evans came on for Mia Enderby in the 68th minute for Liverpool, a tactical shift aimed at shoring up their midfield after Fisk’s red card left them a player short. The triple substitution at the 86th minute saw Everton throw on Antoinette Payne, Katja Snoeijs, and Clare Wheeler in a desperate attempt to find a winner, while Liverpool’s Aurélie Csillag and Denise O’Sullivan had arrived in the 79th minute to freshen the legs of a tiring side. Martha Thomas replaced the booked Cornelia Kapocs in the 88th minute, a pragmatic move to avoid any further disciplinary risk. Ultimately, Liverpool’s substitutions, particularly the introduction of O’Sullivan, whose experience and composure helped manage the final stage,s proved more impactful, even with the numerical disadvantage.
Final Stages
The closing minutes descended into chaos, controversy, and unbridled drama. Everton, stung by Kramžar’s winner, threw everything at Liverpool in the dying seconds of five added minutes, but Falk and her ten teammates held firm with extraordinary collective resilience. The bookings continued to mount: Jennifer Falk received a yellow card in the 94th minute for time-wasting, ng a decision that drew fury from the Liverpool bench,nch while Ruby Mace was booked in the 96th minute for the same offence as Everton desperately tried to win back possession. Most controversially, Ceri Hol,d the hat-trick hero turned villain, was shown a yellow card in the 96th minute for an argument with the referee, a moment of frustration that summed up Everton’s anguish. When referee Phoebe Cross finally blew the final whistle, the contrast in emotions was stark: Liverpool’s ten women celebrated a heist of the highest order, while Everton’s players sank to their knees in disbelief.
| Second Half Stats | Everton FC | Liverpool FCW |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 61.4% | 38.6% |
| Shots | 16 | 2 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 2 |
| Corners | 6 | 3 |
| Fouls | 3 | 5 |
| Bookings | 1 (R. Mace 96′, C. Holland 96′) | 2 (C. Kapocs 63′, J. Falk 94′) |
Full Match Stats
| Stat | Everton FC | Liverpool FCW |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 54.1% | 45.9% |
| Shots | 18 | 9 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 5 |
| Shots Off Target | 6 | 2 |
| Blocked Shots | 7 | 2 |
| Big Chances | 1 | 0 |
| Big Chances Missed | 0 | 0 |
| Corners | 8 | 4 |
| Offsides | 1 | 2 |
| Fouls | 11 | 10 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 3 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 1 |
| Passes Completed | 358 | 306 |
| Pass Accuracy | 81% | 78% |
| Aerials Won | 9 | 15 |
| Tackles Won | 13 | 12 |
| Saves | 2 | 3 |
Player Ratings — Everton FC
6.8
Made two saves across the match and was largely untroubled in the second half as her side dominated possession. Could do little about Galli’s equaliser or Kramžar’s devastating winner, both of which were clinical finishes that gave her no chance.
6.5
A solid if unspectacular performance from the full-back, who contributed to Everton’s aerial dominance in the second half. Worked hard defensively but was unable to prevent Liverpool’s late counter-attacks from finding their mark.
5.2
A nightmare moment in the 20th minute defined her afternoon — her own goal gifted Liverpool an equaliser at a critical juncture and deflated the home crowd just as Everton had taken the lead. Struggled with Liverpool’s early pressing intensity and never fully recovered her composure.
6.0
Contributed to Everton’s defensive resilience for much of the match and helped win aerial duels in the second half. However, her yellow card in the 96th minute for time-wasting was an unnecessary blemish on an otherwise committed display.
6.4
Blundell was industrious throughout, contributing to Everton’s 13 tackles won and helping maintain defensive shape during Liverpool’s early pressure. Was withdrawn in the 86th minute as Everton chased a winner, replaced by Clare Wheeler in a bold attacking gamble.
6.3
Vignola was a steady presence in Everton’s midfield, contributing to their 81% pass accuracy and helping recycle possession effectively in the second half. Replaced by Katja Snoeijs in the 86th minute as Everton sought a more direct attacking outlet.
8.9
The Italian midfielder was the defining figure of the second half, scoring Liverpool’s equaliser in the 64th minute and then providing the decisive assist for Kramžar’s 91st-minute winner. Her ability to conjure moments of magic under the most intense pressure — playing with ten women — was extraordinary and marks her out as one of the WSL’s most dangerous performers.
6.2
Van Gool worked tirelessly in the midfield engine room, contributing to Everton’s passing dominance in the second half. Her influence waned as the match progressed and she was withdrawn in the 86th minute, replaced by Wheeler as Everton pushed desperately for a winner.
5.8
Momiki struggled to impose herself on the game during a first half dominated by Liverpool’s pressing intensity. Her inability to find space between the lines led to her withdrawal at half-time, replaced by the more direct Melissa Lawley in a tactical reshuffle that initially paid dividends.
8.5
The Slovenian forward had a quiet game for long stretches but delivered when it mattered most — her 91st-minute finish from Galli’s