Everton secured their first Women’s Super League victory of the season with a contentious 1-0 win over Liverpool at Goodison Park. The decisive moment came via a controversial penalty decision, allowing Katja Snoeijs to convert from the spot and hand the Toffees all three points.
The key incident occurred when referee Abigail Byrne awarded Everton a penalty after Honoka Hayashi was tripped by Fuka Nagano. Replays suggested the contact occurred outside the box, but Byrne pointed to the spot, and Snoeijs calmly slotted the ball home. Liverpool manager Matt Beard was vocal in his frustration, calling the decision “disappointing” and claiming it “cost” his team the match.
Liverpool’s frustrations didn’t end there, as Byrne waved away three penalty appeals for the visitors. Olivia Smith went down after contact from Clare Wheeler, while Sara Holmgaard was involved in two incidents in the box—one with Ceri Holland and another with Cornelia Kapocs. Beard felt at least one of these decisions should have gone in his team’s favor, adding to his post-match grievances.
The match itself was a game of two halves. Liverpool began strongly, controlling possession and creating early chances, but they failed to capitalize on their periods of dominance. This allowed Everton to grow into the game, using their home advantage to shift the momentum.
Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan was instrumental in preserving the clean sheet. A pair of crucial saves in the second half kept Liverpool at bay, including a double stop to deny Nagano and a point-blank reaction save later in the match. Brosnan’s heroics ensured that Everton held firm to claim their first win of the season.
The defeat ended Liverpool’s impressive eight-game unbeaten run away from home, a streak that stretched back to January. It also marked their fifth consecutive game without a win, leaving them six points adrift of Manchester United in the standings. For Everton, the victory lifted Brian Sorensen’s side off the bottom of the table and into ninth place, providing a crucial morale boost as they aim to climb further up the league.
