A goal in extra-time from substitute Zara Shaw on her long-awaited return from injury earned Liverpool a 1-0 victory at Charlton Athletic in the Adobe Women's FA Cup.
The 18-year-old marked her comeback after a little more than a year out with a vital contribution to send the Reds into the final four.
Shaw scored in the 115th minute to settle the quarter-final at The Valley on Sunday.
The visitors started on the front foot in the capital. Mia Enderby first saw a header at the back post saved after a Lily Woodham cross from the left found her free run in the six-yard box.
Charlton responded with their best opening of the first half, with a Karin Muya shot falling to Amalie Thestrup inside the area, though the attacker was unable to make a meaningful connection on her attempted flick at goal.
Liverpool then put together a string of chances ahead of the interval as they dominated proceedings.
An Alice Bergstrom cross from the right flank was headed onto the bar by home defender Lucia Lobato with goalkeeper Sophie Winehouse stranded.
Denise O’Sullivan also enjoyed two good openings to break the deadlock, first guiding a header too high from a looping Woodham cross from the left byline.
Then, a Cornelia Kapocs delivery landed at her feet after an initial header. However, her off-balance effort flew above the frame of the goal.
The second half began as the first finished, with Liverpool enjoying all the possession and attacking threat.
However, Gareth Taylor’s team were restricted mainly to crosses and deliveries from deep as Charlton held a firm defence.
In response, Beata Olsson, Martha Thomas and Alejandra Bernabe were all introduced from the bench just ahead of the hour mark.
The Reds continued their pressure with Kapocs, Thomas and Enderby all delivering dangerous balls into the area. None, though, were able to be met by a teammate.
Substitute Olsson did have the ball in the back of the net with a little more than 10 minutes remaining, but it was ruled out.
A low cross into the box from the right by Enderby found Thomas, who attempted to shoot and her touch fell to Olsson, whose instinctive flick was denied as she strayed offside in the six-yard box.
In added time, Thomas worked herself into the area with a clever one-two, only for her shot to be straight at Winehouse in the home net, forcing the game into extra-time.
Extra-time
The opening chance of the added period fell to Bernabe, who volleyed wide of the post from a corner as the ball raced through a number of bodies to the full-back.
Liverpool were continuing to see the majority of possession, though were continually restricted to strikes from outside of the box as Thomas and Olsson both fired off target.
Jenna Clark also saw a headed effort cleared off the line at another corner ball as pressure continued to be applied, while Enderby was replaced by Shaw due to cramp.
After another change of ends, a dipping cross from Kapocs found Olsson but the attacker couldn’t keep her header down and on target once again.
As a penalty shootout loomed, the Reds finally found the all-important goal they deserved.
There was an almighty scramble at a corner, with Liverpool hitting the post and then the crossbar as the ball bounced around the area unable to be cleared.
Ultimately, Shaw kept her cool and was in the right place at the right time to volley home into the bottom corner of the net and mark her return from injury with the winner.
Team
Liverpool: Falk, Bergstrom (Shimizu, 77), Clark, Evans, Woodham (Bernabe, 58), Nagano, O’Sullivan (Thomas, 58), Maclean, Kapocs, Csillag (Olsson, 58), Enderby (Shaw, 103).
Unused subs: Kirby, Ireland, McDonald, Trueman.
SOURCE: www.liverpoolfc.com
