Chelsea were left frustrated by a stout defensive display from BK Häcken on Tuesday night as the Blues were held to a 0-0 draw in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Chelsea had travelled to Sweden to face BK Häcken having taken seven points from their first nine available in Europe this term. Their hosts are led by exciting young head coach Elena Sadiku who helped them lift the inaugural UEFA Europa Cup last season. By virtue of that success BK Häcken now find themselves in the league phase of the UWCL. Their European adventure has been less straightforward since, having taken just one point from their first three matches BK Häcken faced an uphill challenge to even make the UWCL play offs. After Chelsea the Swedish side face Manchester City and OL Lyonnes in their final two matches. Since their last outing in the competition they had lifted silverware, securing the Damallsvenskan title for the second season in a row. That allowed their head coach to shuffle the pack on the weekend with the league title already secured. BK Häcken made four changes from that side to face Chelsea. Sadiku named captain and former Everton forward Anna Anvegård on the bench after she missed their match on the weekend against Djurgården with a knock. However names familiar to Barclays Women’s Super League fans started in this one with former Liverpool loanee Jennifer Falk starting in goal, and former Spurs defender Josefine Rybrink starting at right centre back.
BK Häcken could call upon the two top scorers in the Damallsvenskan, Maja Bodin has 15 goals in Sweden this term and she started up front. American midfielder Tabitha Tindell though, the second top scorer in Sweden began the night on the bench. Avi Luik, the 41-year-old Australian centre back started for the Swedish champions. Jóhanna Fossdalsá signed a new contract with BK Häcken yesterday and the 20-year-old Dane started from the bench on Tuesday night. Joy Omewa was also named on the bench for the home side, a life-long Chelsea fan, the Nigerian forward will have been itching to get on the pitch. Erin McBride and Tilda Karlsson made their first UWCL starts on Tuesday night to face Chelsea.
The visitors rang in the changes for this one too with six changes made to the side that drew 1-1 against Everton on Saturday. In came Livia Peng in goal and she was joined by Nathalie Björn and Veerle Buurman at the back. Lexi Potter, Sjoeke Nüsken and Alyssa Thompson also returned to the starting side. Perhaps with one eye on the visit of Manchester City to Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunch time, Sonia Bompastor rested a number of central figures. Each of Hannah Hampton, Katie McCabe, Kadeisha Buchanan, Sandy Baltimore, Erin Cuthbert and Manaka Matsukubo began this one with a watching brief from the sideline. Chelsea began the evening in third place in the UWCL table, knowing that three points would take them to the top, even if only for an evening.
The Lineups
HÄC: Falk; McBride, Östlund, Luik, Rybrink, Pálmadóttir; Matriano, Sanvig, Karlsson, Ölvestad; Bodin
CHE: Peng; Carpenter, Bronze, Bjorn, Buurman, Thompson; Potter, Walsh, Nüsken, Kaptein; Malard
The Action
Chelsea fashioned the first opportunity with neat interplay within the first three minutes, a one-two with Keira Walsh set Ellie Carpenter free flying towards the bye-line. The Australian fizzed the ball across goal but BK Häcken were able to clear their lines. The visitors had the ball in the back of the net from a corner shortly after, a near post header from Wieke Kaptein finding the net. However the goal was ruled out after Potter was adjudged to have interfered with play from an offside position in front of goalkeeper Falk.
A speculative ball forward from the home side gave Chelsea more issues than they’d have expected with the bounce of the ball somewhat catching Lucy Bronze out. Bodin did exceptionally well to win the ball and hold off Bronze in the box, she set up Karlsson whose curling effort was tipped over the bar by Peng. At the other end, Carpenter continued to cause the Swedes issues, her cross before the 10 minute mark needed to be cleared by the back-tracking Icelandic youngster Thelma Pálmadóttir. BK Häcken were looking to press their opponents high up the pitch, especially looking to take advantage of Chelsea’s adjustments to the artificial turf at the Nordic Wellness Arena. The Swedish side were not without threat, an inventive backheel from Bodin played through Tuva Ölvestad who advanced on goal, but good covering running from Lucy Bronze ensured that Ölvestad’s pass was overhit, forcing Karlsson out wide and the move to peter out.
Chelsea had another goal ruled out before the 30 minute mark, a swift turn on the ball in midfield from Kaptein helped her play a precise through ball in behind. Melvine Malard ran onto it and finished with aplomb but the lineswoman’s flag went up to deny her. Carpenter stung the palms of Falk again minutes later as Chelsea turned the pressure up a notch. Bronze found space on the same side and caused chaos with a drilled ball across the box. The cross was blocked, but unpredictably climbed high into the sky and bounced off the top of the crossbar on the way down.
After the break Chelsea created the best chance of the night so far, the ball found its way to Ellie Carpenter at the back post who forced a phenomenal save from the outstretched arm of Falk. BK Häcken were putting their bodies on the line to stay level with Rybrink blocking expertly from Thompson with 55 minutes on the clock. Sandy Baltimore came off the bench and showed her quality straight away, whipping a ball into the box from a free kick near the halfway line. The cross was met by the head of Lucy Bronze but her effort was straight at Falk. The home side had rarely threatened in the second half but substitute Alva Selerud was sent through on goal with 20 minutes to play. Her early effort attempted to catch out Peng who was off her line but the Swiss keeper made a superb save. From the resulting corner Chelsea broke with pace, another substitute, this time Matsukubo played an excellent through ball from the wide area into Thompson who danced passed Falk but was taken too far out wide and her effort on target was cleared.
Shortly after Matsukubo had an effort of her own, set up by Walsh, the Japanese forward’s near post run met the ball but Falk made another excellent stop. Chelsea zipped ball after ball into the home side’s box but attacks continued to be repelled by a stubborn defence. Understanding the need for three points Sadiku rolled the dice bringing on two forwards, one of them Omewa almost helped BK Häcken into an unlikely lead. Holding up the ball expertly in midfield Omewa played a wonderful through ball in behind to see Bodin through on goal, but once again Peng did well to snuff out the danger. Chelsea came close themselves moments later after Walsh slipped the ball in behind to Carpenter whose cut back found Maika Hamano but her curling effort clipped the top of the crossbar. Omewa went from the sublime to the ridiculous as she flew into a challenge on Erin Cuthbert, studs showing, the forward was extremely lucky to receive only a yellow card where a red would have been more appropriate. Chelsea were unable to find the break through the black and yellow delight in Gothenburg.
Chelsea Player Ratings
GK: Livia Peng – 8/10 – Peng was forced into an excellent early save when she could easily have been caught out by an inventive effort from Karlsson. Chelsea’s second choice was almost caught out in the second half but made another couple of impressive stops.
RWB: Ellie Carpenter – 7.5/10 – No player has played more minutes for Chelsea so far this term and it isn’t difficult to see why, she found space in behind the BK Häcken defence at least three times in the first 10 minutes. However, of her 10 crosses in the first half only two found their mark, she also missed two big chances. However she also created a big chance and made four key passes, a key player for her side whether they get the result or not.
RCB: Lucy Bronze – 8/10 – The captain for the day until Cuthbert was introduced, Bronze had the most touches of any player by some distance. She won five of her six duels on the day.
CB: Nathalie Björn – 8/10 – Returned to Sweden with no signs of the rust that should follow a player whose only played 90 minutes once since March. Looked comfortable at the back for Chelsea.
LCB: Veerle Buurman – 8/10 – No Chelsea player made more tackles than Buurman, she’s become a reliable pair of hands in Europe for Bompastor.
LWB: Alyssa Thompson – 7/10 – Demonstrated excellent defensive awareness especially early in the first half, looked a touch hesitant in her decision making in the final third. Drove at the opposition backline with purpose at times, final product was lacking today.
CM: Lexi Potter – 6/10 – Potter has been excellent so far this term but showed her lack of experience in this one. Booked in the second half and taken off shortly after.
CM: Keira Walsh – 8.5/10 – Her range of passing is always impressive, she made five key passes and created one big chance. She had the most accurate long balls of any outfield player.
CAM: Wieke Kaptein – 8.5/10 – An excellent showing from the young Dutch midfielder. She had a number of intelligent touches that helped find space, she was involved in much of what was positive for Chelsea in the first half. She would have had a goal and an assist but for the offside flag. The only player in the first half to create a big chance.
CAM: Sjoeke Nüsken – 6/10 – An uncharacteristically quiet night for the German international, she was hooked early in the second period.
ST: Melvine Malard – 7/10 – Struggled to get involved at least initially, was able to create one big chance but should really have held her run to score in the opening period.
SUBS
Erin Cuthbert (58′ Potter) – 7/10 – Showed some excellent close control in the box late on, a really poor challenge on her seemed to affect her ankle.
Sandy Baltimore (58′ Nüsken) – 7.5/10 – Helped give Chelsea another dynamic moving forward off the bench making two key passes off the bench.
Manaka Matsukubo (69′ Malard) – 7.5/10 – An impressive cameo, perhaps the best showing of her short Chelsea career, her pass from the wide area to find Thompson was exceptional.
Kadeisha Buchanan (82′ Björn) – N/A –
Maika Hamano (82′ Kaptein) – N/A –
The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Jennifer Falk
The Swedish goalkeeper was excellent tonight, marshalling her defence and making a number of excellent saves, including five from inside the box. She also played 14 accurate long balls. Special mention to Avi Luik, the Australian centre back made 17 defensive interventions and won nine of her ten duels.
