LONDON (Reuters) – Sam Kerr netted a late winner to keep Chelsea in the driving seat for the Women’s Super League title as they came from a goal down to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Kingsmeadow on Wednesday despite a superb defensive performance from the visitors.
Chelsea are in third place in the table on 43 points after 17 games, four behind Manchester United and one behind Manchester City, but the Blues have two games in hand over the Manchester clubs.
Fullback Emma Koivisto gave Liverpool a shock lead with a second-minute volley, but former Liverpool player Niamh Charles headed home a corner five minutes before the break to put Chelsea level.
Liverpool’s rearguard played superbly in the second half and though Chelsea’s Guro Reiten had the ball in the back of the net in the 82nd minute, the goal was ruled out for offside as the game looked set to end in a draw.
However, Kerr had other ideas and when Jessie Fleming hit the post for Chelsea, the Australia goal-poacher was on hand to guide home the rebound in the 87th minute.
Liverpool, in seventh place in their first season since returning to the 12-team top flight, battled bravely to try to fashion an equaliser, but despite eight minutes of injury time they finished empty-handed as Chelsea hung on to win.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Toby Davis)
