Everton thrash Liverpool at Anfield as Vignola scores debut hat-trick

Summer signing Ornella Vignola scored a hat-trick on her Everton debut as the visitors hammered Liverpool at Anfield in Sunday's Women's Super League derby.

The 20-year-old, who joined from Granada in the summer, could not have dreamed of a better Everton bow as she secured victory away to their bitter rivals - their fifth Merseyside derby win in five games at Anfield.

Liverpool had impressed in the first half and took the lead when Cornelia Kapocs thumped the ball past goalkeeper Courtney Brosana in the 12th minute.

It was manager Gareth Taylor's first game in charge of the hosts and there were signs of significant improvement from a Liverpool team who had had just weeks to work with him.

But despite their dominance in an exciting opening half, Everton would not lie down and got themselves back into the game through Vignola 12 minutes later.

Liverpool continued to control the game until Katja Snoeijs dealt another sucker-punch with a header on the brink of half-time to make it 2-1 to Everton.

The second half was all about Everton and Vignola as she scored two goals in as many minutes to take the game away from Liverpool in devastating fashion.

Everton boss Brian Sorensen's changes at half-time also made a difference, with club record signing Ruby Mace adding control in midfield.

The result is a blow to Liverpool given their promising start but it shows that the talent Everton have recruited after a summer of major investment has the potential to take them to another level.

"I'm really happy with the win of course. We were not at our levels in those first 35 minutes, but we were leading at half-time which was nice," said Everton boss Sorensen.

"We had six debutants starting in the first game of the season, in the derby at Anfield, so I don't know if that played a part.

"We connected about four passes in the first 20 minutes - but we got back into it and saw character from the girls and in the second half we controlled it."

Analysis: Vignola's special debut as Reds frustrated

Stats were overwhelmingly in Liverpool's favour after a dominant first half in which they had more touches in the opposition box (23 to Everton's six), more passes in the final third (68 to 27) and more possession, with 58%.

Kapocs gave them a deserved lead - their first goal at Anfield in a WSL Merseyside derby - but Everton, as they so often do against Liverpool, came back into the game out of nowhere.

A moment of individual magic from Vignola, as she raced past Ceri Holland and thumped the ball into the far corner, silenced a positive home crowd.

Snoeijs' header rubbed further salt into Liverpool's wounds and when they came back out for the second half clearly downhearted, they never recovered.

Vignola wrote her name into Everton's history books, becoming the first Evertonian since Dixie Dean in 1931 to score a hat-trick against near-neighbours Liverpool, and she went off to a standing ovation with a beaming smile on her face midway through the second half.

She was one of nine players to join Everton during an ambitious transfer window and while this was not a performance that showed major strides, it is clear they have talent in abundance and will have an enjoyable season in the WSL.

Among the debutants, Maz Pacheco had struggled in the first half, unable to cope with Liverpool midfielder Holland's driving runs out wide and her teasing deliveries.

But Pacheco showed her strengths at the other end, providing two assists, as Everton's quality eventually shone through after a stumbling start.

Vignola was undoubtedly the pick of the bunch, showing her intelligence off the ball with smart runs in behind and her ruthlessness with three goals from three shots on target.

Many expected this outcome in the end given Taylor has had just weeks to work with the squad and they were not able to have an impact in the transfer window, but Liverpool's first-half display at least showed signs of improvement.

"Football's funny sometimes. We've probably felt a little bit aggrieved today, but I think the second half is a more even affair," said Taylor.

"Games can get away from you really, really quickly. My feelings are strange because particularly that first 40 minutes, we were better than pretty good."

But the day belonged to neighbours Everton, a team with high ambitions after significant investment under new owners the Friedkin Group.

And based on this season-opening display, last term's eighth place may well be comfortably bettered.

What's next for both clubs?

Liverpool travel to Leicester City on Sunday, 14 September (12:00 BST) seeking their first points in this season's WSL, while Everton hope to continue their winning start when they host Tottenham on the same day at 14:00 BST.

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