Miyazawas Incredible Strike! - Liverpool v Manchester United - Highlights - Barclays WSL 25-26

Well, here come the two teams. Liverpool's victory last season was dominated by Olivia Smith, but of course, she's now departed. And Gareth Taylor has the job of trying to rebuild this Liverpool side. Five changes for Liverpool from the previous Women's Super League match. A 1-0 loss at Leicester. Rafaela Borgratha comes in as the goalkeeper for the first time in the league. Liddy Woodham returns at full-back. Kirstie McLean and Kerry Holland come into midfield. And Sophie Haug will lead the attack. Gemma Bonner makes her 200th WSL appearance. Manchester United have the exciting prospect of both Melvin Mallard and Elizabeth Turland playing together in attack. The Norwegians' hat-trick against Bram put United into the Champions League. Canadian international Jade Riviere also returns for Anna Sandberg, with Fridolina Rolfo dropping into the left-back position. Dangerous ball in, but Liverpool eventually clear, but it breaks kindly for Turland here with a chance. A goal-saving challenge, you feel, from Gemma Evans there at the corner, but it could have been so much worse for Liverpool. Oh, it was unlucky there, so, so unlucky. I think, yeah, she had a little bit of time there just to try and get that one in, but such a great block from Gemma Evans, being in the right place at the right time. It just shows her experience there. And the ball in is cleared by Holland, but United will quickly deliver it back. And now Toon. United beginning to show their quality in the early moments, Toon again. And Park with the cross, it travels a long way, and what a finish! Unbelievable. Mia Zoua with a wonderful goal for Manchester United. She could not have hit that any sweeter. And the United fans here celebrating already. An absolute cracker. I mean, that was absolutely... What a strike. Completely wrong-footed there, the keeper. Could have done nothing about that one. Well, she only tends to score one a season, and that's a Mia Zoua. And if that's her only goal of the campaign, it'll be a memorable one. That was simply unstoppable. She's used the ball well. Riviere. Opportunity to attack Shimizu, who has just come on. Zaghiotti. Toon. It's a dangerous cross. It took a flick off a Liverpool head, and it was Gemma Bonner. And she almost marked her milestone appearance with an own goal. I mean, it was one of those ones that could have gone in. It was, yeah, a very, very close call there. But you saw that there was three Man United players running into the box. It could have been any one of them that put that chance to bed there. Jess Park just literally inches away from getting something on that one. Mia Zoua. Oh, she's hit the post this time. Well, she's not a regular goal scorer, but she's almost scored two spectacular ones here in the opening 25 minutes. She's definitely got her shooting boots on today. I love the fact that she's taking those chances. She's seeing that open goal, and that's twice now she's hit the post. One of them obviously going in. The second one just deflecting there off. You know, I love the fact that she wants to take those opportunities in those moments. Turland ahead of her, and she's in on goal, but it's over the top. She may just have been offside, but she should have still hit the target. Such a great opportunity there. And she'll be disappointed there not to have slotted that in the right corner rather than choosing power and sort of going over the bar. Mallard. Turland makes the run to the near post. Another clear-cut opportunity for Manchester United. It's the same opportunity being created time and time again. They're sort of getting the ball on the wings. That cheeky ball just over the top there. And then the Liverpool defence just don't seem to be picking up those players as they're running in. Nagano. She's lost out. And once again, United are looking to move here with Turland. It's on target, but a decent save made by Borgraf at this time. Looking for Haug as well to keep the ball alive. And that's an opportunity here. And the deflection sends it against the post. And Liverpool, who have been up against it for the entire first half, almost come up with the equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Well, I've got to give a massive, massive shout-out to Falun Tallis-Joyce. I mean, she's had very little to do all game. 44 minutes, pretty much doing nothing. No real saves to make there. And then tipping that ball onto the bar was absolutely incredible. Turland wins it back here. And here's an opportunity for two. And it's 2-0 on the stroke of half-time. Manchester United double their lead. And that goal has been coming for some time. But moments after Liverpool almost equalised, Ellertoun gives the scoreline a more accurate reflection of the way this game has gone. That's incredible link-up play there with Turland. Love the strength, love the fact that she bodied there off the ball and then picking up with Ellertoun and showing that composure then to slot home. And I think that definitely is a reflection of the Man United that we've seen in this first half. I think they haven't put to bed those chances and they have made things very, very difficult for them and a little bit tense in those final few minutes there with that Liverpool chance that could have turned the game 1-1 is a very different score going into half-time than 2-0. So, yeah, super, super happy for Ellertoun. That was a great chance and very well deserved. And here's an opportunity on the counter-attack for Holland. Now she will try and break into the penalty area, delivers that cross in. And the clearance is sent back over the top and it was an opportunity for McLean. Yeah, she's going to be disappointed. You know, she had a little bit of time there to kind of put through the ball, but, you know, she lofted it and it's... You can see the disappointment there on her face. Felt like a more even contest in the second half, but United have still created all of the opportunities. Definitely ball balance there. I think it's been positive that Liverpool are kind of trying to creep into the game a little bit more, sort of trying to pounce on the overload when it's at the back. But here is Toon. And she had Borg-Rafa scrambling, but it's wide. It was McLean who gave the ball away. Borg-Rafa with the distance this time. And the flick on will create the opportunity here for Kapoks and it's wide. Riviere got to adjust in time, but that was the chance for Liverpool to get back in the game. Kapoks has got to be disappointed with that one. She had the ball. It was one-on-one situation. I think Riviere looked like she'd switched off a little bit there, not appreciated that Kapoks was flying in. But, yeah, she should have taken that shot a lot sooner and it just allowed Riviere to come across, kind of put her off and create that incredibly important challenge. But here is Enderby. It's a great opportunity, but the save is made by Telis Joyce. Well, there was no flag. She just curved her run to stay on side, but Falun Telis Joyce looks an imposing goalkeeper in that sort of situation. United heading to the top. Hinata Miyazawa with that memorable opening goal in the fourth minute. Ella Toon with the second on the stroke of half-time, made by Elizabeth Turland. And in reality, United should have won the game more comfortably. Liverpool have their issues early season. Liverpool nil, Manchester United two. I thought we controlled the ball very well, especially first half. Second half, we could have been a bit cleaner in possession. And I think overall we need to be a little bit more ruthless. I think two nils, pretty dodgy scoreline sometimes in football. But yeah, I thought we dominated the ball really well and we should be really happy with ourselves. The first half, we created enough chances to be four or five up. And I think it was a totally dominant performance and something we can be very proud of. Hini's goal is beautiful. Tooni's finish is really good. So all in all, to come out of the game with a two nil win and a clean sheet is excellent for us.