Chelsea left it late but secured a 2-1 win against Everton on Sunday afternoon in the dying embers after a brave defensive effort from the Toffees had threatened to earn them a point on the road. Kelly Gago opened the scoring for Everton before the home side struck back via Mayra Ramírez and Lauren James confirmed victory with a sensational winner.
Chelsea and Everton were meeting for the second time in as many weeks after Chelsea sent the Toffees out of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup with a 4-1 victory.. Everton head coach Brian Sørensen had the opportunity to gain immediate revenge on Sonia Bompastor’s charges.
Natalie Björn, Niamh Charles and Erin Cuthbert all dropped out of the starting eleven that won against Everton last week. Chelsea’s Scottish talisman was missing from the squad while the two defenders dropped to the bench in their place came Maelys Mpomé, Sandy Baltimore and Sjoeke Nüsken.
For the travelling side Lucy Hope and Emma Watson dropped out with Heather Payne and Elise Stenevik stepping into the line up in the hope of better fortunes. Chelsea played in their royal blue with white socks while Everton wore white shirts instead of the dark grey Chelsea bested them in last week. With Megan Finnegan out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury, Courtney Brosnan took the captain’s armband for Everton.
The Line ups:
CHE: Hampton; Lawrence, Bright, Mpomé, Baltimore; Walsh, Nüsken, James, Kaneryd, Macario, Ramírez
EVE: Brosnan, H. Payne, Mjelde, Fernández, S. Holmgaard, Gago, Hayashi, Ladd, Stenevik, Snoeijs, T. Payne
The Action:
With the sun threatening to warm the West London skies Chelsea and Everton kicked off in its harsh glare. Everton began the match with a confident passing move in which Toni Payne, demonstrating intelligent hold up play passed wide for cross into the box from Heather Payne which was acrobatically caught by Hampton with the Chelsea defence largely unthreatened. The Blues of West London had their first opportunity before the 10 minute mark, a corner swung in towards the far post by was met by the right boot of Joanna Rytting Kaneryd, Mpomé stretched for it near the six yard box but could only nod the ball into Courtney Brosnan’s grateful arms.
Chelsea were beginning to purr with Mayra Ramírez demonstrating expert hold up play of her own and Lauren James looking in the mood with a couple of inspired dribbles into dangerous areas. James’ cross-field ball from deep almost found Kaneryd who was unable to get any consequential touch on the ball just after 10 minutes in. Chelsea should have been ahead before the 20 minute mark as James drove to the bye-line, her cross could only graze the head of Kaneryd from six yards out. Everton were getting plenty of bodies behind the ball without surrendering too much territory to their hosts. Kaneryd was attempting to make something happen, she let fly from outside the box but the effort bounced wide.
As the half drew on Everton struggled for coherence in the brief moments of venture into the Chelsea half, Chelsea continued to dominate up until the half time whistle blew even if they had nothing to show for it. The first effort of the second half came from the boot of Lauren James whose effort from outside the box did not have enough dip.
The match burst into life after Chelsea were left stunned by Everton who took the lead with their first shot on target. Chelsea lost possession inside their own half and with Ashley Lawrence out of position her vacant position out right back was now occupied by Kelly Gago, as Toni Payne turned after receiving the ball in the midfield before she played through Gago whose shot rocketed into the top corner and took Hannah Hampton by surprise, as well as the entire Kingsmeadow crowd. The underdogs had the lead.
There was an immediate response from the Chelsea bench as Cat Macario was withdrawn for Maika Hamano and Lucy Bronze came on for Ashley Lawrence. A few minutes later Nüsken was withdrawn and Wieke Kaptein, the player who had rescued a draw the last time Chelsea were a goal down in the WSL away at Leicester. But Everton continued to threaten with loose passes in the Chelsea midfield offering the visiting side opportunity. Chelsea’s big players were not shirking the responsibility, Lauren James was getting on the ball looking to make things happen, as was captain Millie Bright, and on the hour mark Chelsea were level as Ramírez fired home on the turn from inside the Everton box.
Chelsea were just beginning to play with more urgency they had shown throughout the afternoon, Lauren James glided past a number of Everton defenders with ease on 63 minutes, her shot was saved by the boot of Brosnan before Ramírez’s driven cross was caught by Everton’s number one. With fifteen minutes remaining Chelsea were pressing for a winner and one of many Chelsea short corner routines found the foot of Ramírez in the box but her curling effort whistled wide of the post.
Moments later Chelsea were on the attack again, Sandy Baltimore received a wonderful cross field through ball from Hamano, the French woman took a touch before crossing to substitute Aggie Beever-Jones whose header rattled the frame of the goal, with no Chelsea attacker able to plunder the ball home. Chelsea had Everton boxed in, surrounded but once again Everton survived. Moments later a Chelsea corner was unconvincingly punched away by Brosnan, the ball bounced to Beever-Jones at the back post, she took a touch before blasting the ball against the outside of the post and behind.
Everton continued to defend with their hearts on their sleeves but it would prove to be not enough as Lauren James’ class proved the difference but the goal was not without controversy. After Maren Mjelde attempted to header the ball clear she fell awkwardly on her back, the Everton players called foul but the referee ignored their claims. Lauren James took the ball exploited the space and curled a magnificent winner past Brosnan from outside the box.
A sickening defeat for Everton to enter the international break on the back of while Chelsea will be elated to continue their march to the title at the quickest possible rate.
The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Lauren James
It was far from the fine vintage of Chelsea performance that we’ve been treated to under Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea reign so far but this was a vintage Lauren James showing. Chelsea’s number 10 glided past defenders with elegance, looked to create and find space constantly and provided defensive cover on more than one occasion. James deserved her goal in the final moments.
It was James’ desire to get on the ball and play that helped motivate Chelsea after falling behind. Make no mistake Lauren James is one of the world’s best, and don’t be fooled into thinking otherwise.
