Just a few days on from a humbling 2-0 defeat in the League Cup Final, Manchester United Women may be letting the Blues beat them for the second time in a week. It’s now three matches without a win for Marc Skinner’s side, and a second shutout in a row, as Chelsea jumped above the Reds in the top end of the Women’s Super League table.
The Reds dominated possession and allowed little from the Hammer hosts, but there was no real encouraging spell to break through. The Reds held 67% of the ball but created only two big chances, generating 1.03 xG with six shots on target.
United found some decent chances for Elisabeth Terland and Jess Park in the first half, but struggled mightily through a series of changes in the second half. Both Terland and Park made way for Simi Awujo and Melvine Malard just before the hour mark, right after a save by Szemik to deny Lea Schuller. They would manage only one more effort on target the rest of the way.
Skinner even threw on youngster Layla Drury in the final minutes in search of a spark, but the Hammers were content to sit back and stay compact, a strategy that worked far better than it should have against United.
The Reds will return home to face Everton on Saturday and then have another two weeks of midweek matches against Bayern Munich in the Women’s Champions League Quarterfinals.
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