🏏 Sun, 6 Sep 2026 14:00 BST
Charlton Athletic W
vs
Liverpool Women
Positions estimated (no formation data from the API)
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- Opening weekend of the expanded 14-club WSL brings Charlton, promoted through the second-tier play-offs, up against Liverpool. Karen Hills has kept the core of a defence that conceded fewer goals than anyone else in the division below, while Gareth Taylor's Liverpool travel with two Sweden internationals leading the line.
- Japan midfielder Fuka Nagano, 27, starts in central midfield for Liverpool. At 160cm she relies on passing accuracy and reading of the game rather than physique, but her running volume and pressing intensity make her the side's engine. Her career has taken in Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, Chifure AS Elfen Saitama, Hyundai Steel Red Angels in South Korea and the North Carolina Courage — four countries before England.
- Liverpool's attack has a strong Swedish accent. Cornelia Kapocs, 26, and Beata Olsson, 25, both arrived via Kristianstads DFF and Florida State, and both are Sweden internationals: Kapocs can play centrally or wide, Olsson brings variety in how she attacks the box. Vivien Endemann, 25, adds German pedigree from spells at SGS Essen and VfL Wolfsburg.
- Charlton's route to survival starts with the resilience that got them promoted. Skiels, part of the meanest defence in the second tier, signed on again for 2026-27, and Fitzgerald — who came in from London City Lionesses — also stayed. The back four of Ndow, Skiels, Fitzgerald and Davidson is screened by five registered midfielders in front of goalkeeper Whitehouse.
- Liverpool line up with three centre-backs. Scotland's Jenna Clark, 24 and 178cm, wins the physical and aerial battles, while captain Grace Fisk — appointed in September 2025 and a former West Ham defender — organises at 175cm. The third is Spain's Alejandra Bernabé, a technical defender who builds from the back with her passing.
- In goal is 21-year-old Ciara Keating, a Manchester City academy product who was nominated for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2024. How calmly the 175cm goalkeeper handles the noise and set pieces of a promoted side's first WSL home game is one of the sub-plots. Fellow youngster Faye Kirby is her back-up.
- Charlton's creative hub is Spanish attacking midfielder Paula Partido, 170cm and wearing number seven, whose technique and passing are built for unlocking teams from central areas. The rhythm of the match hinges on how she fares against a Liverpool midfield of Nagano and Wales international Ceri Holland, 28, formerly of Manchester United.
- Mason, wearing number two up front, joined Charlton after a spell with Birmingham City — the club also promoted to the WSL this season — and has moved around several English clubs. The bench holds Lockwood, signed from Scottish giants Glasgow City, Robato, who played in France with Marseille, and Lizzie Waldie from Hearts, all promotion contributors who re-signed.
- Liverpool's substitutes offer plenty of variety. Sweden Under-23 right-back Alice Bergström, 23, came from BK Häcken and contributes at both ends of the right flank, while left-footed left-back Lily Woodham, a Reading product, is at her best overlapping and crossing. Winger Amanda Csillag and striker Marie Enderby wait as late attacking options.