Chelsea returned to the top of the Barclays Women’s Super League table with a 1-0 victory over title rivals Manchester City on Saturday.
An emphatic strike from Sandy Baltimore on the stroke of half time was enough to ensure victory for the home side at Stamford Bridge. Both Chelsea and Manchester City came into this one as the only teams that remained unbeaten in the league so far this season. The two faced each other four times last season, with Chelsea winning the first two encounters before experiencing two bruising defeats at the hands of Manchester City, first, a 5-1 hammering at the Etihad before a demoralising 3-2 defeat at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup semi final.
Chelsea had conceded the least goals in the league so far this term while finding the back of the net the most but they started the afternoon two points behind the visitors. As for team news, Sonia Bompastor confirmed that she does not expect Lauren James to return from a thigh injury before the next international brea while Naomi Girma remains out on a seemingly similar timeline. Bompastor has not provided a timeline on Mayra Ramírez’s return and she was not included on Saturday. Chelsea made four changes from the UEFA Women’s Champions League line up that drew 0-0 against BK Häcken in Gothenburg on Tuesday night. Hannah Hampton returned between the posts after Livia Peng had impressed mid-week. Katie McCabe, Kadeisha Buchanan and Sandy Baltimore all returned to start at the back while Alyssa Thompson kept her place in the starting line up which meant a more advanced role for Baltimore. Erin Cuthbert began the afternoon with a watching brief from the bench as youngster Lexi Potter took on the biggest challenge of her young career partnering Keira Walsh in midfield.
Manchester City travelled to Chelsea in a purple patch of form. A 5-0 victory over West Ham last weekend, which included a Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw hat-trick had seen them return to the WSL summit. They backed that up with a 4-1 win in Milan against Inter, a game in which they were able to rest both Shaw and Lauren Hemp, the top scorer and the top assister in the WSL this term. Andrée Jeglertz confirmed on Friday that captain Alex Greenwood’s ankle injury would mean she’d miss out on featuring against Chelsea. There was cause for optimism however as both Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead were fit enough to return to the bench. Niamh Charles was another who had a chance of featuring, as she looked to return from injury to face Chelsea for the first time since departing the club in the summer, but did not make the squad. City made four changes from the side that beat Inter Milan 4-1 on Wednesday night, in came Rebecca Knaak to captain the side, with the vital trio of Yui Hasegawa, Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw returning to start. Sam Coffey was preferred in midfield to Laura Blindkilde Brown partnering Hasegawa in the middle of the park. Sarina Wiegman, Emma Hayes and Ian Wright watched on from the stands as first met second at Stamford Bridge.
The Lineups
CHE: Hampton; Carpenter, Bronze, Buchanan, McCabe, Baltimore; Potter, Walsh, Thompson, Kaptein; Malard
MCI: Yamashita; Beney, Rose, Knaak, Wamser; Coffey, Hasegawa, Fujino; Fowler, Hemp, Shaw
The Action
Manchester City started fast and should have been ahead inside five minutes. In the early moments it was apparent that Manchester City were looking to exploit space on the right side of the Chelsea defence. Shaw was played in behind far too easily, she cut it back to Aoba Fujino who was waiting inside the box but Fujino’s effort missed the target. The home side reacted with a quick break, a long ball found Melvine Malard and while she was disposed the ball fell kindly to the onrushing Thompson, but her attempt curled over the crossbar. Chelsea next threatened with Malard, who fired on goal at the near post and Yamashita made an unconvincing save.
After McCabe chipped a ball in behind Beney, Thompson took full advantage sprinting into the box on the ball. She cut it across to Ellie Carpenter but her effort was cleared off the line by the back tracking Jade Rose. McCabe did the same moment later, this time it was Baltimore bearing down on goal, her cross just evaded the outstretched boot of Malard. Chelsea grew into the half and pushed for the opener, their final ball was eluding them with Walsh and Baltimore spraying passes that missed their target in the minutes leading up to half time. However the Blues did find their breakthrough, Carpenter drove at the City defence before clipping the ball back to Baltimore. The French attacker turned on the ball in the box before striking it cleanly into the back of net, 1-0 to Chelsea.
After half time Manchester City came close to a leveller against Chelsea, a lofted free kick into the box from Coffey found the head of Shaw but Jamaican could only direct it over the bar. As the game approached the hour mark, City crept forwards, Hasegawa played the ball to the feet of Shaw who held it up before releasing Fujino whose effort was straight at Hampton. The visitors came desperately close to levelling the scores shortly after when Shaw speculatively lofted the ball over Hampton to the back post, Hemp slid in, seemingly on for a tap in, but the ball deceptively bounced below her boot and away. Chelsea came close again after McCabe whipped a ball into the box, it evaded everyone except Carpenter stealing in at the back post. The Australian took aim, but her effort was wayward in front of goal.
City’s chances of a result were dealt a critical blow when Ayaka Yamashita was dismissed after taking Thompson out when the Chelsea winger was through on goal. From the resulting free kick Aggie Beever-Jones took aim, rattling the crossbar with a wicked effort. Beever-Jones came close again with the minutes ticking down, picking up the ball on the left side, her effort across the face of goal whistled past the post. Despite being a player short City, still threatened with Beney blasting over when played into a good position late on. Beever-Jones stung the palms of substitute goalkeeper Eartha Cummings in one of the matches final actions but the second goal would not come for the home side. Regardless, Chelsea got what they came for, three points at the expense of their closest title rivals.
Chelsea Player Ratings
GK: Hannah Hampton – 7/10 – Hampton was alert and quick off her line when she needed to be, was not as busy as she’d likely expected to be.
RWB: Ellie Carpenter – 8/10 – Made several darting runs down the wing to good effect, her movement ahead of her pass for Chelsea’s opener was intelligent.
RCB: Lucy Bronze – 9/10 – Started the day as captain and she played like it. For Bronze, this was a physical afternoon, she had a really entertaining battle with Hemp and Shaw. Bronze made the most defensive contributions of any player. Bronze won 12 of her 14 duels and six of her seven long balls hit their mark.
CB: Kadeisha Buchanan – N/A – Buchanan had a ball blocked down by Shaw early on, she dealt with a tricky situation impressively matching Shaw in the duel. Subsequently Shaw had the better of their encounters, Buchanan was withdrawn in the 12th minute, presumably due to injury.
LCB: Katie McCabe – 8/10 – Played some excellent balls over the City defence, defended touch tight with Fowler and did not always have the best of it. A few simpler passes went awry early on.
LWB: Alyssa Thompson – 7.5/10 – Too weak in the challenge at times against Beney. Thompson did find space in behind at times and dribbled with confidence, end product wasn’t where it needs to be but her work-rate deserves credit.
CM: Keira Walsh– 7/10 – Kept things ticking in midfield even if she was quiet overall she didn’t need to have a headline catching performance.
CM: Lexi Potter – 7.5/10 – Composed on the ball in the early moments of this one. Just showed her inexperience a little after picking up a yellow card within the first 15 minutes, but she belied that with an assured performance for the rest of the afternoon.
CAM: Wieke Kaptein – 7.5/10 – Her understanding with Carpenter has become vital to the way in which Chelsea want to play their football, played some lovely through balls into her path today.
CAM: Sandy Baltimore – 7/10 – Final ball was left wanting at times from Baltimore and she didn’t have an effective first half until she did, blasting a wonder-goal past Yamashita. She was withdrawn by Bompastor at half time.
ST: Melvine Malard – 7/10 – Some expert hold up play from Malard in this one, touches in tight spaces drawing defenders and allowing runners to go beyond her. A huge shame that she had to be withdrawn due to injury in the first half.
SUBS
Veerle Buurman (12′ Buchanan) – 8/10 – Buurman made a vital late interception to take the ball off the toe of Shaw shortly after being introduced. Helped change the match in Chelsea’s favour.
Aggie Beever-Jones (35′ Malard) – 7/10 – Beever-Jones’ hold up play was positive, did well to adapt to the game after coming on in unexpected circumstances. Grew in confidence as the match wore on, came close a couple of times.
Maika Hamano (46′ Baltimore) – 7/10 – Her ball to Alyssa Thompson helped ensure her international team-mate was dismissed, curling towards Thompson, Yamashita was convinced she could make it. Passed when she should have shot late on.
Erin Cuthbert (87′ Potter) – N/A –
Manchester City Player Ratings
GK: Ayaka Yamashita – 5/10 – Distribution was wayward at times and she did not look altogether convincing under the high ball. Yamashita did not make the right decision when coming out for the ball and was sent off.
RB: Iman Beney – 7/10 – A huge game for Beney to start, especially from full back, she acquitted herself well.
CB: Rebecca Knaak – 7/10 – Knaak has such an aerial presence, the German made more clearances than anyone else.
CB: Jade Rose – 6.5/10 – Rose made the joint most tackles but will be disappointed to not have influenced proceedings more.
LB: Carlotta Wamser – 7/10 – Moved forward with confidence for the visitors and played a number of key passes for her side, no City player made more tackles than she did.
CM: Yui Hasegawa – 6.5/10 – A quiet afternoon from Hasegawa who did not have her usual impact on the match.
CM: Sam Coffey – 7/10 – Set piece delivery was good and she did well to start such an important match ahead of Blindkilde Brown.
CAM: Aoba Fujino – 5.5/10 – Missed a golden chance inside the first few minutes, she should have scored. Positive dribbling at times but her final pass eluded her. A disappointing performance after so many good games of late.
RW: Mary Fowler – 6.5/10 – After being involved early on her influence on the match ebbed away.
LW: Lauren Hemp – 7.5/10 – Hemp was industrious as ever and was especially effective in the first 15 minutes. Her dribbling a threat make her the best winger in the league. Should have scored in this one.
ST: Khadija Shaw – 7.5/10 – The Manchester City forward started really well giving the Chelsea defence all kinds of issues, a couple of tactical changes helped Chelsea deal with her threat. A frustrating afternoon in the end for the league’s top scorer, even so, she still managed to make three key passes, a match leading total.
SUBS
Laura Blindkilde Brown (63′ Coffey) – 6/10 – Blindkilde Brown had a difficult time after coming on but in large part due to the fact her side were reduced to 10.
Vivianne Miedema (63′ Fowler) – 7.5/10 – With her first few touches of the ball she danced through several challenges in midfield before playing Shaw through to attack the Chelsea backline. Within 15 minutes of her introduction she had already made two key passes, only Shaw made more all afternoon.
Eartha Cummings (78′ Fujino) – N/A –
Beth Mead (87′ Wamser) – N/A –
