Match ends, Bristol City Women 0, Liverpool Women 1.
Bristol City are on the cusp of relegation from the Women’s Super League after suffering a narrow defeat by Liverpool.
The Vixens are seven points adrift of safety with three matches left and have played a game more than second-bottom West Ham, who will send them down if they beat Manchester City on Sunday.
Liverpool’s Marie Hobinger scored the game’s only goal after just 13 minutes when she sent a low drive into the bottom corner, having picked up a mistimed clearance on the edge of the box.
Liverpool move a point ahead of Manchester United and up to fourth with victory, although they will drop back down to fifth on Sunday if United avoid defeat against Tottenham.
The visitors had earlier come close to scoring when Bristol City managed to clear the ball off the line, after a Shae Yanez clearance rebounded off Sophie Roman Haug.
Liverpool nearly doubled their advantage when Haug tapped home after Yanez dropped a catch, but the referee deemed the Liverpool striker to have fouled Yanez.
Bristol City soon had a similar chance when Teagan Micah spilled the ball after being pushed by Rachel Furness, but City did not convert the chance anyway before the free-kick was awarded.
City were determined in attack as they tried to find a way back into a realistically must-win game, but they struggled to fashion any chances of real quality.
They were given freedom to run at the Liverpool defence but were unable to break them down, and did not test Micah until she parried away an Amalie Thestrup effort in the second half – when the striker intercepted a loose pass.
Hobinger nearly doubled Liverpool’s lead but saw her long-range strike tipped on to the post by City keeper Yanez.
Bristol City’s energy fizzled out and Liverpool took control of the game, with Mia Enderby and Missy Bo Kearns both forcing Yanez to make late saves.
Line-ups
Bristol City Women
Formation 5-4-1
- 30Yañez
- 15BullSubstituted forHarrisonat 90+3′minutes
- 5AspinBooked at 25mins
- 6Connolly
- 4LayzellSubstituted forJonesat 45′minutes
- 11Napier
- 24MorganSubstituted forEvansat 67′minutes
- 8Rodgers
- 16SymeSubstituted forWardat 86′minutes
- 10FurnessSubstituted forStratigakisat 45′minutes
- 17Thestrup
Substitutes
- 2Powell
- 3Struck
- 7Harrison
- 13Clark
- 18Stratigakis
- 22Evans
- 23Jones
- 29Ward
- 36Slocombe
Liverpool Women
Formation 4-5-1
- 16Micah
- 32ParrySubstituted forDanielsat 71′minutes
- 17Clark
- 4Fisk
- 12HindsSubstituted forKoivistoat 58′minutes
- 7KearnsBooked at 35mins
- 9KiernanSubstituted forBonnerat 45′minutes
- 14HöbingerSubstituted forHollandat 58′minutes
- 8Nagano
- 13EnderbySubstituted forLawleyat 71′minutes
- 10HaugBooked at 85mins
Substitutes
- 1Laws
- 2Koivisto
- 11Lawley
- 18Holland
- 20Daniels
- 23Bonner
- 57Leath
Live Text
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Second Half ends, Bristol City Women 0, Liverpool Women 1.
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Attempt missed. Abi Harrison (Bristol City Women) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Sophie Haug (Liverpool Women).
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Substitution, Bristol City Women. Abi Harrison replaces Jasmine Bull.
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Delay in match (Liverpool Women).
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Attempt blocked. Amy Rodgers (Bristol City Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt saved. Carrie Jones (Bristol City Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jamie-Lee Napier.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Fuka Nagano (Liverpool Women).
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Missy Kearns (Liverpool Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jamie-Lee Napier (Bristol City Women).
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Substitution, Bristol City Women. Mari Ward replaces Emily Syme.
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Delay in match (Liverpool Women).
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Sophie Haug (Liverpool Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Sophie Haug (Liverpool Women).
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Amy Rodgers (Bristol City Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.