Liverpool Women 1-2 Arsenal Women: Russo double sinks the Reds at Anfield
Liverpool Women suffered another Women's Super League defeat at Anfield as Alessia Russo's double gave Arsenal Women a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon. Sky Sports summed it up simply with the headline "Russo brace seals win for Arsenal against Liverpool" (Sky Sports), and that was exactly the story of the game as the England striker proved the difference between the two sides.
Arsenal made the brighter start and were ahead inside nine minutes when Alessia Russo turned home a right-footed finish from the centre of the box, Emily Fox supplying the cross from the right. Liverpool responded well, though, and were level by the 15th minute through Beata Olsson, who curled a right-footed effort into the bottom corner from outside the box after being picked out by a clever Natalia Ramos through ball. It was end-to-end stuff in the opening quarter of the match at Anfield, but Arsenal restored their lead right on the stroke of half-time when Russo headed in her second of the afternoon, this time converting a cross from Lisa Baum in first-half stoppage time to make it 2-1 at the break.
That scoreline held for the remainder of the game despite a lively second half. LiverpoolFC.com had confirmed before kick-off that Vivien Endemann came into the home side's starting line-up, and she played until the 62nd minute before making way for Alice Bergström, with Mao Itamura also introduced in place of Natalia Ramos at the same point. Mari Ward was sent on for Alejandra Bernabé shortly after as Liverpool searched for a leveller. Arsenal, for their part, freshened things up with a flurry of changes of their own, bringing on Élisa De Almeida, Frida Maanum, Smilla Holmberg and Kyra Cooney-Cross as the game wore on.
The only booking of the afternoon came in the 80th minute when Caitlin Foord was shown a yellow card for a foul. There was a stoppage shortly afterwards for an injury to Taylor Hinds, who was replaced by Lotte Wubben-Moy in the 85th minute, before the match eventually finished with five minutes of stoppage time added at the end.
In terms of the numbers, Arsenal shaded possession with 52.9% of the ball to Liverpool's 47.1%, and also had the better of the chances, registering 19 shots to Liverpool's 14, with six on target compared to four for the home side. Liverpool's goalkeeper made four saves to Arsenal's three. Liverpool won six corners to Arsenal's four, while Arsenal committed one yellow card to Liverpool's none, with neither side seeing red.
The defeat leaves Liverpool Women 11th in the Women's Super League table, with their recent WSL form reading LLDLL ahead of this match before the loss to Arsenal extended that difficult run. Arsenal Women, by contrast, arrived in good heart having gone LDWDW across their previous five league outings, and the win at Anfield continued that upward trajectory as they sit sixth in the standings. For Liverpool supporters, the display will have offered some encouragement going forward given the way the team matched Arsenal for spells of the match, but defensive lapses either side of half-time proved costly against a ruthless Russo.
Written with the help of AI, using the match facts and the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.
