Van de Sanden nets winner as Ladies beat Everton in FA Cup
Shanice van de Sanden fired an extra-time winner as Liverpool Ladies reached the quarter-finals of the Women's FA Cup with a 2-1 victory over Everton.
Scott Rogers’ charges started well and took the lead after eight minutes when Natasha Harding netted following a superb assist from Caroline Weir.
Ali Johnson was making her maiden appearance for the first XI and she nearly made it 2-0 with a fine curled effort that was brilliantly kept out by Kirstie Levell.
Everton pushed hard for an equaliser and came out strongly after the restart. Former Red Claudia Walker was denied at close range by a stunning stop from Siobhan Chamberlain.
The Blues did restore parity in the 69th minute, though, when Simone Magill pounced to make it 1-1.
With extra-time looming, Liverpool came desperately close to a winner as Katie Zelem let fly with a 35-yard effort that came back off the post.
Free video: Watch highlights of Liverpool Ladies v Everton
The deciding moment eventually came in the 108th minute instead, Van de Sanden meeting a Johnson cross to head home for 2-1.
Solid displays at the back from Gemma Bonner and Sophie Ingle helped Rogers’ side hold their lead and gain some Merseyside pride in their first competitive outing of 2017.
Liverpool Ladies: Chamberlain, Johnson, Greenwood, Ingle, Bonner, Zelem, Longhurst, Hodson, Harding (Green, 61), Weir, Van de Sanden.