Reading Women 1-1 Everton Women: Everton’s Champions League hopes fade further

Everton’s hopes of Champions League football are all but over after they were held at Reading on Sunday. 

In truth, it could have been worse for Willie Kirk’s side who, for 45 minutes, looked a shadow of the team who started the season so strongly. 

The Toffees took 13 points out of 15 and scored 16 goals in their first five fixtures before narrowly losing out in the FA Cup final to Manchester City. 

But that defeat and a number of injuries to key players has taken its toll in the last few months, with just one win in nine League games, which is not the form of European contenders.

Reading had also talked about challenging for a place in the top three at the start of the WSL campaign but will have had more realistic expectations of another fifth-place finish. They started the day level on points with Everton but full of confidence after their 2-0 victory over Manchester United last weekend.

They had also held Arsenal to a draw the week before and were quick out of the blocks against a sluggish Everton side.

The Royals could have been 3-0 up at half-time with Amalie Eikeland twice going close before Rachel Rowe finally found the back of the net after 34 minutes. Everton goalkeeper Tinja Korpela could only push Emma Mitchell’s cross into the path of the Wales international and she hammered home into an empty net from close range.

Izzy Christiansen committed her future to Everton by signing a new two-and-a-half year contract earlier this week and she was the most creative player in a yellow shirt for much of the afternoon. 

The midfielder’s long-range shot forced Grace Moloney into a rare but comfortable save just before half-time. Chloe Kelly’s performances for Manchester City in recent weeks will have reminded Kirk what his side are missing after she left the club last summer.

The winger is a match- winner and her ability to run at defenders is something Everton are lacking. The introduction of Hayley Raso on the hour mark gave the visitors a lift, with the Australia international full of energy and she helped get Everton level on 77 minutes. 

The winger played in Moe Wold down the right with the full back producing a perfect cross for Nico Sorensen to head past Moloney.

Raso provided the spark Everton had been missing in the first half but she was guilty of a lack of composure in the final third when she missed a chance to win the game in the final few minutes. 

After breaking clear of the Reading defence, she had team-mates to her left and right but opted to go for goal, only to produce a tame shot that rolled through to Moloney. That lack of a clinical edge is the difference between finishing inside or outside the top four.

Unlike Reading, Everton have not taken any points from teams who are above them in the WSL table. They are four points behind Arsenal and have the Gunners to play at home later in the year but they are still some way off being realistic contenders for a place in the Champions League, at least for this season.

Kirk was backed in the transfer window last summer and will need to be again if they are to make the step up. 

Tottenham have shown they are becoming more serious about investing in their women’s side and they could be another team to add to the challenging pack come September.