Dagny Brynjarsdottir netted a late goal as West Ham United beat Liverpool to book a semi-final place in the Contintental Tyres League Cup.
The Hammers captain headed home from Viviane Asseyi’s curling cross with only three minutes left at Prenton Park to secure the 1-0 victory.
And it sees the club into the last four of the competition for the first time, alongside Manchester City and Chelsea, with Arsenal due to host Aston Villa in the other quarter-final tie on Thursday.
“It’s fantastic that we’ve been able to advance into the semi-finals,” boss Paul Konchesky told whufc.com.
“At the start of the season I said I wanted the team to do similar to what they achieved last season in the league but I also wanted us to have a really good cup run.
“It doesn’t matter what cup we do that in, but I’m pleased we’ve done well in reaching this stage.
“I don’t want to stop here, though. I’d love to be able to get to the final with this group of players.”
Emma Searle made her first start since April, as Mel Filis also came into the side following Sunday’s 3-0 WSL loss at Everton.
And Snerle found space to meet Kirsty Smith’s corner, but could not get a shot away, before a chance to head goalwards was also crowded out.
Faye Kirby saved from Asseyi, after Abbey-Leigh Stringer and Filis combined, and parried another attempt by the France forward moments later.
Missy Bo Kearns fired wide after pouncing on Stringer’s stray pass, then flashed a pass beyond teammate Katie Stengel.
It remained goalless at the break as Snerle’s curling pass found Risa Shimizu, who played it across to Hayashi, but a slight touch from Hinds saw the effort spin wide.
Liverpool began the second half well as Kearns produced a strong run to set up a chance for Stengel, but Mackenzie Arnold got down well to save.
Ceri Holland’s effort did not seriously test Arnold, while Kearns could not convert a teasing cross from American international Stengel on 65 minutes.
Top scorer Stengel had a header ruled out for offside soon after, before long-serving Kate Longhurst saw an effort saved by Kirby at the other end.
Then with extra time looming, Asseyi’s wonderful ball into the box found the head of Brynjarsdottir and the Icelandic international picked out the top corner.
“We know how dangerous she is in the box and it was a great ball into the box from Vivi,” added Konchesky.
“To win any game in that fashion is fantastic. We had to fight for the win, particularly towards the end.
“We’re excited to be in the hat and hope we get a good game in the next round.
“Every team going into the semi-finals is doing so because they’ve got quality and we’re one of those sides.
“I know if we play to our best we have every opportunity of making itinto the final so let’s so who we pull out.”
West Ham: Arnold, Smith, Cissoko, Fisk, Shimizu, Stringer (Longhurst 61), Hayashi, Brynjarsdottir, Filis (Evans 61), Snerle (Parker 74), Asseyi. Unused subs: Hillyerd, Atkinson, Cairns, Houssein, Flannery.
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