Everton Women secured a fairy-tale ending at Goodison Park, defeating Liverpool 1-0 in the final League Merseyside Derby at the iconic stadium before their move to the new Bramley-Moore Dock.

The victory marked their first WSL win of the season lifting Brian Sørensen’s side out of the relegation zone and up to ninth. The Toffees also handed Liverpool their first defeat in 10 away matches, ending their longest-ever unbeaten run on the road.

A spirited first-half performance laid the foundation for victory with the only goal of the match coming from Snoeijs, who converted a controversial penalty just before the break.

The decisive moment came on the stroke of half time when Fuka Nagano brought down Honoka Hayashi. Though contact appeared to be outside the box, referee Abigail Bryne awarded a penalty to the home side, much to the frustration of Liverpool’s players and fans.

Despite the protests, Snoeijs kept her cool and calmly converted the spot-kick, sending Teagan Micah the wrong way to give Everton a 1-0 lead.

The decision sparked an outcry from Liverpool’s camp, with manager Matt Beard left frustrated and he said the decision had “cost us the game today.”
He added: “Even I saw that the contact happened about a foot outside the box.”

Liverpool responded strongly in the second half, pushing for an equalizer, but Courtney Brosnan produced a series of impressive saves to keep her side in front. Sorensen described his goalkeeper as “world-class” after her performance.

The Reds came close to levelling just before the break when Hobinger picked up the ball outside the box and unleashed a curling shot towards the top corner. However, Brosnan was at full stretch to tip the ball over the bar.

The second half saw more chances for Liverpool, particularly for Nagano, who fired multiple shots on target. However, the Everton shot stopper was up to the task, making an incredible double save to deny Nagano from close range and then parrying away a second effort from the edge of the box.

Despite dominating possession Liverpool failed to convert numerous chances. Everton’s defence remained strong, and although Beard’s side kept pushing until the final whistle, they couldn’t break through, meaning the Reds suffered their second consecutive defeat in the WSL.

The home side’s win not only secures bragging rights, but marks the end of an era for Everton Women at this iconic ground.

Liverpool will come face to face with another one of their rivals, as they travel to Manchester United in their next league game.

Meanwhile, Everton will face Tottenham Hotspur, who will also be looking to extend their cushion from the relegation zone.

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