Ten-player Leicester beat Liverpool for first win

Ten-player Leicester picked up their first win of the Women's Super League season, beating Liverpool 1-0 at the King Power Stadium.

Interim manager Rick Passmoor's side were outclassed by the visitors during the first half and played the final 35 minutes with 10 players after Shannon O'Brien was dismissed for a second yellow card.

However, her sending off proved to be a catalyst for the Foxes, with Emily van Egmond heading home the winner just three minutes later.

The victory moves Leicester up to seventh in the table, while Liverpool are still searching for their first point under new manager Gareth Taylor.

Liverpool were left to rue their failure to make their first-half dominance pay. They controlled possession and created multiple chances through Mia Enderby and Marie Hobinger but lacked a clinical touch in the box.

And it was Leicester who came closest to pinching the lead on the stroke of half-time, with Sam Tierney lofting a ball into the box for onrushing left-back Asmita Ale before some last-ditch defending from Gemma Bonner spared Liverpool's blushes.

A tricky second period beckoned when O'Brien, who had earlier been booked for a foul on Grace Fisk in the opening 10 minutes, received a second yellow for fouling Jenna Clark and then back-chatting to the referee.

Despite that, Leicester bagged their winner against the run of play in the 59th minute, with Tierney feeding Janice Cayman on the right wing and the skipper delivering a pinpoint cross to an unmarked Van Egmont, who headed beyond Faye Kirby from close range for her first Leicester goal.

Analysis: Leicester win at home 'fortress' but goal concerns for both sides

Janina Leitzig was largely untroubled in goal for Leicester

Despite being hammered 4-0 by Manchester United in their season opener, Leicester would have been full of confidence heading into their first home match of 2025-26.

Last season, they won 85% of their points (17/20) on home soil, with all five of their wins coming at the King Power Stadium.

Ahead of this match, Passmoor described the ground as their "fortress", and they continued that excellent home form against Liverpool. They have now won five of their past six league home games.

However, while Passmoor will be delighted with the three points, both he and counterpart Taylor will have concerns about their respective goalscoring threats - or lack thereof.

Leicester failed to register a single shot on target during the first half, and although they converted their only chance of the second period, Van Egmond is unlikely to find herself in so much space in the six-yard box again in her career.

Across their opening two matches, they have had just three efforts on target, and having scored only 21 league goals last season there is a clear problem that is yet to be solved.

As for Liverpool, they enjoyed 75% possession and had six shots in the opening 45 minutes, but failed to make it count.

It was telling that when Cornelia Kapocs cut the ball across the face of goal from the left wing, there was no-one waiting to get on the end of her delivery, and it wasn't until the final 10 minutes that goalkeeper Janina Leitzig was truly tested, clawing Sophie Roman Haug's header out of the bottom corner.

Like Leicester, Liverpool struggled for goals last season, scoring just 22 times. Seven of those came from Olivia Smith, now at Arsenal, and not only do Liverpool look short on quality in front of goal, but a possible replacement is yet to raise their hand.

What's next for these teams?

Leicester are next in WSL action on Sunday, 21 September, with an away trip to defending champions Chelsea (12:00 BST). Liverpool travel to Aston Villa (12:00 BST) on the same day.

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