Olsson Rescues Point in Victoria Road Thriller
Key Takeaways
- West Ham and Liverpool shared the spoils in a pulsating 2-2 draw
- Four goals in 30 minutes transformed a cagey encounter into pure drama
- Beata Olsson's 87th-minute equaliser denied the Hammers a precious victory
- Corner kicks proved decisive with three goals stemming from set pieces
West Ham United and Liverpool played to a thrilling 2-2 draw at Victoria Road, with Beata Olsson's dramatic 87th-minute equaliser denying the Hammers what would have been a crucial three points in their Women's Super League campaign. The result left both sides frustrated after a pulsating encounter that exploded into life during a breathless second half.
The match remained locked at 0-0 until the 57th minute when Riko Ueki broke the deadlock with a perfectly placed header from the left side of the six-yard box. Viviane Asseyi's pinpoint cross following a corner found the Japanese striker, who guided her effort into the bottom right corner to send the home crowd into raptures. Liverpool's response came swift and clinical - just two minutes later, Mia Enderby restored parity with a composed left-footed finish from the centre of the box, converting Beata Olsson's intelligent headed pass to level the contest at 1-1.
The drama intensified in the 68th minute when Anna Csiki, who had entered as a substitute nine minutes earlier, fired West Ham back in front. The midfielder pounced from the left side of the six-yard box following Ffion Morgan's delivery from another corner, slotting home to restore the Hammers' advantage. Liverpool refused to buckle under pressure, and their persistence paid dividends when Olsson stepped up to deliver the decisive blow, rifling a right-footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner with just three minutes remaining.
West Ham dominated possession with 57.4% of the ball and peppered Liverpool's goal with 20 shots compared to their visitors' seven, yet Faye Kirby's heroics between the posts kept the Reds in contention throughout. The home side's superiority in set pieces proved telling, with eight corners yielding two crucial goals, while Liverpool's more direct approach saw them capitalize on their limited opportunities with clinical precision.
The turning point arrived during those frantic final 10 minutes when Liverpool threw everything forward in search of an equaliser. Olsson's header in the 81st minute missed by inches before the Swedish midfielder made amends six minutes later, timing her run perfectly to meet a cross and salvage a vital point for her side.
Katrina Gorry nearly snatched victory for West Ham in stoppage time, but her left-footed effort from the right side of the box whistled agonizingly wide, while Leila Wandeler's header forced a crucial save from Kirby as the clock ticked toward full-time.
Both teams will look to build momentum from this entertaining stalemate as the season progresses, with each side demonstrating the attacking quality and defensive resilience that could prove crucial in their respective campaigns moving forward.