Liverpool Ladies see off Linkopings
Natasha Dowie's late strike ensured that Liverpool Ladies will travel to Sweden next week with a 2-1 advantage over Linkoping from the first leg of their last-32 UEFA Women's Champions League tie.
Liverpool opened the scoring at the Select Security Stadium in Widnes, when Fara Williams' corner was only half-cleared and the ball dropped to Gemma Davison whose shot went in via a fortunate deflection.
Linkopings pressed forward and threatened the home goal but Kristine Minde's effort was well saved by the Reds' American keeper Libby Stout.
However, Minde was not to be denied and minutes later she danced through the Liverpool defence before slotting the ball past Stout to equalise and grab a vital away goal for the Swedish side.
The second-half saw the return to action of German winger Nicole Rolser following injury and she went close to putting the home side in front but her close-range effort hit the visitors' crossbar.
Stina Blackstenius was denied by a decent stop from Stout before Dowie grabbed the winner with 20 minutes left when the ball dropped to her in the box after Lucy Bronze's shot was blocked.