Late Kirstie Levell own goal gives Everton big win over Leicester | OneFootball

A gut-wrenching own goal from Kirstie Levell gifted her former side Everton all three points against Leicester City on Thursday.

The ex-Blue tipped the ball into her net while trying to save a last gasp free-kick from substitute Hanna Bennison.

It looked set to end all square in front of a sold out Walton Hall Park crowd until the 93rd minute nightmare sank the Foxes to keep Everton in the top five of the Women’s Super League table.

For Everton, Megan Finnigan made her 150th appearance for the club, while Jess Park started following her recent Lionesses call-up.

Leicester were unchanged from Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.

Lineups

Everton

Ramsay; Veje (Maier 84), Sevecke, Bjorn, George (Stenevik 68), Christiansen (Bennison 60), Park (Gio 68), Graham, Finnigan, Galli (Holmgaard 60), Snoeijs

Leicester

Levell; Tierney, Pike, Whelan, Simon, Green (Bott 75), Howard, C. Jones (Flint 54 – Schofield 90), Plumptre, Purfield, O’Brien (Goodwin 75)

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Fight from both sides

After a quiet first quarter of an hour, some neat play from the away side allowed Molly Pike to fire at Emily Ramsay from distance, but it was a comfortable one for the Everton stopper.

The chance seemed to spark the Foxes into life. Shortly afterwards, some good pressing from Pike gave her another opportunity to open the scoring, but she will have been disappointed with her effort that required a simple save.

On the 30 minute mark, Everton’s Katja Snoeijs did well to shrug off her defender after a great through ball from Nathalie Bjorn. She forced Kirstie Levell into an excellent save, only for the referee to call for an earlier foul.

Just after the hour mark, the home side went close again when neat play between Bjorn and Izzy Christiansen saw the latter slide a ball across goal for Snoeijs, but the Dutch striker couldn’t get the final touch.

It was Brian Sorensen’s side who began the second period on the front foot and, once again, it was neat play between Christiansen and Bjorn that allowed Park to send over a right wing cross, but no blue shirt could get on the end of it.

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An audacious attempt from Ashleigh Plumptre almost caught out Ramsay in the Everton goal.

A heartbreaking end for Leicester

Substitute Karen Holmgaard almost had the perfect introduction to the game soon after when her driving run ended in a shot that almost sneaked into Levell’s bottom corner.

Sorensen’s changes appeared to have the desired effort for Everton. Both Bennison and Gio Queiroz both came close as the home side pushed for the winner.

There was almost late drama when a sliding tackle looked certain to result in a penalty for the home side, but was given in the opposition direction by the referee, much to the frustration of the Everton fans.

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But they would not be left disappointed when a looping 93rd minute free-kick from Bennison caused huge problems for Levell. The goalkeeper was unable to keep the ball out and pushed it into the back of the net. Heartbreak for Leicester in the dying embers.

The result leaves the Toffees in fifth, while Leicester drop to 11th.

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