Chelsea began the defence of their Adobe Women’s FA Cup title with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Kingsmeadow on Saturday. Sam Kerr scored twice while Guro Reiten, Millie Bright and Alyssa Thompson also found the scoresheet in a vintage Chelsea victory.
Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea side came into this one on a hot streak of form. Since their first defeat in domestic football under Bompastor, Chelsea have won five in five games, scoring 25 goals and conceding just two in the process. The last time Chelsea lost in the FA Cup was almost two years ago and they avenged that semi final defeat to Manchester United with a 3-0 victory in the final at Wembley last year.
Chelsea have an exceptional record against Crystal Palace winning all four of their previous encounters by an aggregate score of 13-0. The two sides have met in the previous two editions of the FA Cup with Chelsea running out 1-0 winners at Kingsmeadow both times. Prior to the match Bompastor confirmed that the Blues would be missing Aggie Beever-Jones, Keira Walsh, Caterina Macario and Niamh Charles through injury. Chelsea made three changes from the side that beat West Ham 5-0 in the Barclays Women’s Super League last weekend. Sjoeke Nüsken, Ellie Carpenter and Sandy Baltimore who scored twice against West Ham in that victory were rested. In their place came Sam Kerr, Guro Reiten and Wieke Kaptein to start. The Chelsea bench was also populated by a number of highly rated youngsters hoping for a chance. The likes of Lexi Potter, Chloe Sarwie and Lois Shooter.
Crystal Palace travelled to Kingsmeadow on a excellent run of form with six wins in their last seven matches, the only exception? Last month’s narrow defeat to Arsenal in the Subway Women’s League Cup quarter final. Palace have also been buoyed by an active transfer window, signing Wales international Hayley Ladd and Irish starlet Kelly Brady. The window hasn’t been without issue however as fan favourite Shanade Hopcroft joined promotion rivals Birmingham City in an eyebrow raising move. Crystal Palace had never scored against Chelsea and were looking to bring that run to an end this afternoon.
Palace made two changes to the side that won 1-0 at Brammall Lane against Sheffield United in the WSL 2 in midweek. New signing Hayley Ladd, who came off the bench to score a sensational free-kick winner in that match started her first match for the Eagles. Kelly Brady started the afternoon on the bench, in line to make her debut if introduced. Also coming into the line up was Chloe Arthur who replaced the Eagles star player this season Kirsty Howatt. Elise Hughes also dropped out of the starting side for this one.
The Lineups
CHE: Hampton; Thompson, Bright, Buurman, Girma, Kaneryd; Cuthbert, Kaptein, James, Reiten; Kerr
CRY: Yañez; Sharpe, Napier, Everett, Nolan, Weerden; Ladd, Arthur, Cato, Blanchard; Larkin
The Action
The first chance of any real merit came for the home side. After Lauren James drove at the Palace backline she played an inch perfect through ball to find Reiten running in behind on the left. Reiten’s inviting ball across the box was diverted just wide by Aimee Everett, a touch of the ball more in hope than expectation. With 12 minutes on the clock Chelsea had the lead. After more excellent running from Reiten had drawn a Chelsea free kick on the left side, Cuthbert whipped an excellent cross into the box. Millie Bright ghosted past her marker to head the ball unstoppably home.
Chelsea had another chance shortly after, as Aimee Everett looked to drive into midfield with the ball, Alyssa Thompson dispossessed her with a perfect tackle. Cuthbert picked the ball up in midfield and played it wide to Johanna Rytting Kaneryd whose vicious low effort was stopped by the feet of Shae Yañez. However the Crystal Palace keeper was only delaying the inevitable, when Cuthbert manoeuvred into space in midfield she played a through ball to Kerr running in behind. Kerr, with unerring accuracy found the bottom corner to double the reigning champions lead.
Chelsea looked ready to run away with it after Reiten, once again causing issues skipped past Sharpe before being brought down in the box by Napier. It was Reiten herself who stepped up to the penalty spot, she promptly sent Yañez the wrong way to find the bottom corner. When Palace looked to counter they did so with pace, driving from midfield My Cato found Ashleigh Weerden, whose low driven effort was met by the inevitable block of Bright. Chelsea came close to adding another before the break, Kaneryd’s effort from out wide whistled past the post in search of the far corner of the net. Chelsea almost nabbed a fourth after yet more great play from Reiten her cut back found Cuthbert whose flicked effort was stopped by Yañez.
The second half began as the first half had ended with Chelsea on the attack. After marauding wing play from Reiten, she clipped a cross into the box and the ball found the head of Kerr who directed her effort into the bottom corner. Weerden almost found an immediate response, her wonderful close control bamboozled a couple of Chelsea defenders before her effort stung the palms of Hannah Hampton. Three of Chelsea’s substitutes had a part to play in their fifth. Ellie Carpenter found the bye line and cut the ball back to Lexi Potter, Potter played it along to Nüsken who fired low to the keepers right. The save from Yañez fell favourably to the feet of Thompson who prodded home for Chelsea’s fifth. Chelsea probed for another with Thompson coming close but the hard work was done and Chelsea were through to the next round.
Chelsea Player Ratings
GK: Hannah Hampton – 7/10 – Had almost nothing to do, was alert when she needed to be. Completed 6/6 long balls and 18/18 accurate passes.
RWB: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd– 7/10 – Had a couple of chances she will wish she could have done better with in the first half.
RCB: Naomi Girma– 6.5/10 – Had a quiet afternoon but her side did not need her to be loud, came off at half time to be rested.
CB: Millie Bright – 9/10 – Put Chelsea on the right path with a trade mark Millie Bright goal nodding into the back of the net from a Cuthbert cross. Showed excellent desire to get back and make a block at 3-0. Popped up as a further striker in the box at times. Vintage Bright.
LCB: Veerle Buurman – 8/10 – Looked supremely confident on the ball, read the game extremely well in the early stages. Played the most passes into the oppositions final third of any player.
LWB: Guro Reiten – 9/10 – Was ready to run in behind and cause issues for Napier and Sharpe consistently to dangerous and chance creating affect. Scored an ice cool penalty to extend the Chelsea lead. Over the course of the afternoon she created five chances, more than double the next most, she also assisted Chelsea fourth goal.
DM: Erin Cuthbert– 9/10 – An excellent dead ball cross for Chelsea’s opener was more than the Palace defence could manage. Her class showed this afternoon as she found Kerr for the second Chelsea goal.
CM: Wieke Kaptein – 6.5/10 – Kaptein played more of a supporting role in this confident Chelsea performance today.
CAM: Lauren James – 8/10 – James plays football like few others can, a deft touch here, a visionary through ball there, a pleasure to witness. Came off at half time.
SS: Alyssa Thompson – 8.5/10 – Her tenacity helped create chances for the home side. Had the ball in the back of the net with a delightful finish but was penalised for a dubious foul in the build up. She did manage the goal her performance deserved in the second period.
ST: Sam Kerr – 9/10 – Her presence and movement in the box was causing issues for Palace and before long it showed on the scoresheet as it tends to when Kerr is involved. Doubled her tally early in the second half over performing her XG by 0.60.
SUBS
Lucy Bronze – (46′ Girma) – 7/10 – Came in and did what was required of her, building a great relationship with Carpenter. In only 45 minutes she had the second most passes into the final third.
Sjoeke Nüsken – (46′ James) – 7/10 – Had a few classy touches on the ball after coming on, her shot helped create the opportunity for Thompson’s goal.
Ellie Carpenter – (61′ Kerr) – 7.5/10 – Came into the match and effortlessly slotted into the line up, a contender for signing of the season. Dealt with Weerden’s increased prominence well.
Lexi Potter – (61′ Kaptein) – 6.5/10 – Potter was serenaded by the Crystal Palace fans as she came on ‘we want our Lexi back’ the Chelsea midfielder did not look out of place.
Chloe Sarwie (70′ Cuthbert) – 6.5/10 – Did not see a huge amount of the ball coming on to play at left wing back but looked confident when she did.
Crystal Palace Player Ratings
GK: Shae Yañez – 6/10 – Made an excellent save with her feet to deny Kaneryd in the first 45 minutes. Hard to argue she could have done more to stop the other goals aside from Thompson’s as she should have parried the initial effort away from danger.
RWB: Molly-Mae Sharpe – 5.5/10 – Sharpe was clearly targeted in the early stages as Reiten found joy on the right side. An afternoon to forget.
RCB: Jamie-Lee Napier – 6.5/10 – Made a couple of excellent early interceptions, reading the game extremely well on the right side of a back five. Gave away the penalty but will feel hard done by.
CB: Aimee Everett – 7.5/10 – The captain hurled herself in front of every ball that found its way into the Palace box. Had a brilliant battle with Thompson this afternoon, she also had the most defensive contributions, it just was not her side’s day.
LCB: Hayley Nolan – 6.5/10 – Palace struggled to get out of their half and a few errant long balls from Ladd did not help that cause.
LWB: Ashleigh Weerden – 7.5/10 – Picked up great positions and looked Palace’s best attacking outlet throughout.
DM: Chloe Arthur – 6/10 – Made Came in to make a defensive contribution in midfield but it was always going to be a tall order against a stacked Chelsea midfield.
DM: Hayley Ladd– 7/10 – Palace struggled to get out of their half and a few errant long balls from Ladd did not help that cause. She was better out of possession completing the most tackles for a Palace player and winning the most duels of an Eagle.
CAM: My Cato – 6/10 – Looked bright at times as she aimed to cause issues, the Chelsea defence was ready for what she threw at them. Was caught out by Millie Bright’s movement for the opening goal.
CAM: Annabel Blanchard – 6/10 – It was a long afternoon for any Crystal Palace player in an attacking sense facing Chelsea with the Eagles attack starved of service and that was no different for Blanchard. Seemed frustrated.
ST: Abbie Larkin – 6.5/10 – Created Crystal Palace’s best chance of the match with an excellent switch of play to find Weerden. Was often isolated up front with three Chelsea centre backs for company.
SUBS
Kirsty Howatt – (63′ Arthur) – 6.5/10 – Looked bright after coming on, trying to create something for her side.
Indiah Page Reilly – (78′ Sharpe) – 6/10 – Did okay after coming on, Chelsea had taken their foot off the gas by that stage however.
Elise Hughes – (78′ Larkin) – 6/10 – Having come off the bench in this fixture last season to play at centre back should would have been relieved to be told this time to head up top. The jig was up by the time she was introduced.
Isabella Sibley – (90′ Weerden) – N/A –
