Bridget Galloway’s first senior goal saw Sunderland beat Liverpool to progress to the quarter-finals of the FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup as group winners.
Tuesday 5th December
FA WSL CONTINENTAL TYRES CUP
GROUP 1 NORTH: Sunderland 1-0 Liverpool (Att: 128)
Both sides were previously unbeaten in the competition, but it was the Wearsiders who claimed victory at Mariners Park and snatched top spot in Group One North from the Reds, reports fawsl.com.
Liverpool started brightly, with midfielder Laura Coombs spurning two early chances as she blazed a close-range effort over the bar moments before the former Chelsea player saw an effort deflect narrowly wide.
And the Merseysiders were made to rue those missed chances when Sunderland took the lead – Galloway meeting Lucy Staniforth’s centre with a powerful header that left Siobhan Chamberlain with no chance.
Galloway could then have doubled her tally for the evening after she sprung the offside trap and bore down on goal but Chamberlain did well to tip her effort around the post.
Sunderland stopper Rachael Laws was then called into action to deny both Ashley Hodson and Bethany England as Liverpool ended the first half strongly.
The visitors introduced Natasha Harding to try and change the game and she was straight into the action, forcing Laws to parry her half-volley after the Black Cats failed to clear their lines.
It was Scott Rogers’ side who continued to press forward, with Caroline Weir’s shot on the turn and Harding’s curler both being well-saved by Laws as the Reds sought an equaliser.
But Sunderland held out to claim three points which saw them leapfrog Liverpool to top the group.
The quarter-final draw is to be made on Thursday.
