Manchester City beat Liverpool 4-2 in WSL after late own goal and Hemp double

Manchester CityManchester CityPremier League · England2nd POS23–9–6 W-D-L beat LiverpoolLiverpoolPremier League · England5th POS17–9–12 W-D-L 4-2 on Friday night to keep their winning start to the Women's Super League season intact, with Lauren Hemp scoring twice for the defending champions. A 90th-minute own goal from Grace Fisk put City 3-2 ahead, and Hemp added a fourth on the counterattack in stoppage time.

The final scoreline reads more comfortably than the contest did. Liverpool were level at 2-2 when the 90th minute began, and Gareth Taylor's side made the league leaders dig deep on a night when the visitors played well enough to trouble the champions for long spells.

2025/26

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POS

2nd

W-D-L

23–9–6

GF

77

GA

35

Season 2025/26

How the game was decided in the 90th minute

Ank kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0

Grace Clinton's cross in the final minute of normal time forced Fisk into a defensive touch she could not control, and the ball ended up in the Liverpool net to make it 3-2. It broke a 2-2 deadlock that had held into the closing minutes and left Liverpool chasing the game.

Hemp then sealed it. With Liverpool committed forward deep into stoppage time in search of an equaliser, City broke away and she finished the counterattack, completing her double and stretching the margin to two goals.

What the win means for the title defence

Ank kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0

City are the defending champions and went into the game as league leaders, so the points matter more than the performance in the table. Their winning start has been preserved and no ground was lost. The manner of the win, though, adds a note of caution to an otherwise clean record, given how late the decisive goal arrived.

Liverpool's night of encouragement

Taylor was facing the club he previously managed, and his team responded with a display that drew significant encouragement despite the result. Liverpool were described as an ever-improving side and for long periods they matched the champions. The task now is to turn performances like this into points.

What is not yet known

The full order of the goals has not been set out. The match was level at 2-2 when the 90th minute began, but how each side reached that score is not established, and one of City's four goals has not been attributed to a named scorer. City's position at the top of the table will also depend on results elsewhere in the round.