Chelsea and Arsenal had to settle for a draw in a controversial, all action London derby at the Emirates stadium on Saturday afternoon. It was a match that exhibited the very best of what the Barclays Women’s Super League has to offer. Alyssa Thompson’s first half beauty was cancelled out by a late, late Alessia Russo equaliser.
On Saturday lunchtime another chapter of the Barclays Women’s Super League’s most storied rivalry was etched into the Emirates turf. With Chelsea five points clear of Arsenal in the league, this was billed as a must with for Renée Slegers’ charges. While Chelsea remained unbeaten in the WSL under Sonia Bompastor, Arsenal have been imperious in the league at the Emirates under Slegers. Arsenal had not lost at the Emirates in the league since before the Dutch head coach took charge, that defeat? To Chelsea in Jonas Eidevall’s last match at the helm of the Gunners.
Arsenal made three changes from the side that beat Leicester City 4-1 last week in the WSL. Player of the Match that day Stina Blackstenius kept her place in the starting side while Laia Codina and Taylor Hinds started from the bench. Club captain Kim Little was missing completely from the squad after coming off late against Leicester with injury. Emily Fox started after being rested post a busy international break while Lotte Wubben-Moy returned to the starting side after being ruled out with illness last week. Victoria Pelova was given the nod to start in midfield with Kim Little out and Arsenal were without Leah Williamson who remains side lined through injury. With both captain and vice out Steph Catley took the armband for Arsenal.
Sonia Bompastor made four changes from the side that beat London City Lionesses last week. Both Australian goal scorers from Stamford Bridge that day started on the bench at the Emirates. Ellie Carpenter, Sjoeke Nüsken, Sandy Baltimore all started on the bench with Guro Reiten not included in the squad for personal reasons and Aggie Beever-Jones missing out completely. In their place came Catarina Macario, Alyssa Thompson, Niamh Charles, Wieke Kaptein and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.
The Line ups
ARS: Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Pelova, Mariona; Russo Foord, Mead, Blackstenius
CHE: Hampton; Bronze, Bright, Björn, Charles; Walsh, Cuthbert, Kaptein; Kaneryd, Thompson, Macario
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The Action
Within a couple of minutes of kick off Chelsea came perilously close to taking the lead. A brilliant one, two passing exchange on the edge of the box between Macario and Rytting Kaneryd saw the Swede run through on goal out wide, her toe poked effort bounced off the post and evaded Chelsea players in the box. While Chelsea looked most dangerous in the opening exchanges, Arsenal were not without their own threat. Nathalie Björn needed to be switched on to make a brilliant interception with her international team-mate Blackstenius probing for space in behind.
Before the tenth minute Chelsea had their opener and it was United States starlet Alyssa Thompson who had taken the initiative to give the lead to the visitors. Thompson, driving at the Arsenal defence from inside her own half played the ball wide to Rytting Kaneryd, before the Swede laid the ball back to Thompson. The former Angel City star dinked the ball perfectly from outside the box into the corner of the net to give the visitors a deserved lead. The frantic pace of the match continued as it approached the 15 minute mark. A low driven corner towards Blackstenius needed to be saved by Hampton after Blackstenius made a connection at the near post.
Chelsea should have doubled their lead shortly after, Rytting Kaneryd was exposing Katie McCabe’s defensive fragilities and she got past the Irish left back with far too much ease again with 15 minutes on the clock. She found Macario who fired a fizzing shot on goal which was brilliantly saved by Daphne van Domselaar. Van Domselaar’s looping block bounced onto the cross bar and out with the Dutch keeper making a fine save on the follow up to deny her compatriot Kaptein.
Arsenal looked to Caitlin Foord on the wing, who was beginning to get the better of Bronze. After beating the England right back she drove into the box with 22 minutes on the clock. Cutting the ball back, Foord found Caldentey who was dispossessed with the ball rolling out for a corner kick but another chance had gone for Arsenal. Bronze almost found the net herself with just over 10 minutes to play, after a poor throw from McCabe was intercepted, Bronze took aim from the edge of the box on her weaker foot but her effort bounced just wide.
Foord, using her physicality extremely well found Blackstenius minutes later in the box but her shot was stopped by Hannah Hampton. From the resulting move Millie Bright had her pocket picked by Alessia Russo. Russo cut the ball back to Caldentey in the box but the Spaniard’s effort was meek and easily saved by Hampton.
After the half time break Chelsea should have doubled their lead, wonderful play from Bronze in the Arsenal box, saw Kaptein with a chance. A weak attempted tackle by Pelova was broken by Kaptein but both her efforts were well blocked by Wubben-Moy. The follow up fell to Keira Walsh just inside the box but her effort was brilliantly stopped by Van Domselaar.
Just minutes later Chelsea were almost made to rue that missed opportunity. An avoidable corner, given away by Lucy Bronze was whipped in by Beth Mead. Niamh Charles’ header fell to the feet of Blackstenius who controlled the ball before rocketing her effort into the roof of the net. However the referee called handball and the goal was disallowed.
Olivia Smith had come off the bench and was providing a new outlet for Arsenal. The Canadian’s direct running ensured she found a way past Charles, her cut back found Blackstenius whose effort was well stopped by Hampton. Chelsea with taliswomanic striker Sam Kerr on the pitch almost doubled their lead. Carpenter, also subbed on, drove at the Arsenal defence with minutes counting down from inside her own half, driving to the bye line before cutting the ball back to Kerr. The Australian’s back heel looking for Kaptein was pounced on gratefully by van Domselaar.
With just four minutes remaining Arsenal rescued the day and their league season, a ball into the box from Frida Maanum found the feet of Russo who fired home with Hampton unable to prevent the ball going over the line. Arsenal thought they had won it in the 89th minute after sensational running from Alessia Russo breaking from deep. She played through Frida Maanum whose chipped finish was perfectly executed but the lineswoman raised their flag for offside.
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Arsenal Player Ratings
GK: Daphne van Domselaar – 8/10 – The Dutch number one kept Arsenal in this match at 1-0 down, making a number of elite stops.
RB: Emily Fox – 7/10 – Did a good job marshalling Thompson who was most effective when coming inside and running directly at the centre of Arsenal’s midfield.
RCB: Lotte Wubben-Moy – 7/10 – A confident performance for a player who has struggled for minutes this season.
LCB: Steph Catley – 6/10 – Arsenal were undoubtedly weaker on the left side of defence but they received little protection from the midfield.
LB: Katie McCabe – 5/10 – Had an incredibly difficult start to the match with Rytting Kaneryd finding space in behind on the left with far too much ease. Settled a little as the game went on but was quiet in attack.
CM: Victoria Pelova – 6/10 – Pelova made a goal saving interception with just over ten minutes to play in the first half. Her range of passing and vision impressed more than once. Struggled to be a presence in the centre of the park to deter Chelsea attacks through the midfield. Was lucky to stay on the pitch for an extremely poor challenge on Keira Walsh.
CM: Mariona Caldentey – 6/10 – Had a mixed performance and could not find the vital pass, goal or moment of magic that Arsenal needed her to.
RW: Beth Mead – 7/10 – Misplaced a couple of passes but knows this encounter better than most, was a valuable experienced head for Arsenal. Combined well with Fox on the right hand side in the first half. Had made the most tackles in the match (4) when she was substituted.
LW: Caitlin Foord – 7/10 – Foord was Arsenal’s best player in this fixture last term but her decision making left something to be desired at times today. Always a willing runner however and gave Bronze some difficulty at times, took the game to Chelsea and used her physicality extremely well more than once.
SS: Alessia Russo – 8/10 – Hustled and harried and never stopped running, picked Bright’s pocket in the first half and Caldentey should have taken advantage. Scored a vital and deserved equaliser before she drove from deep and almost set up the winner for Maanum. Russo kept Arsenal in with a hope of the title.
ST: Stina Blackstenius – 7/10 – Did not look completely aware of her surroundings with a sloppy start in possession, had Arsenal’s first real effort on goal early on from a corner. Her pace is always a threat. Scored and had her goal dubiously disallowed.
SUBS
Taylor Hinds – 60′ replaced Katie McCabe
Olivia Smith – 60′ replaced Beth Mead
Kyra Cooney-Cross – 70′ replaced Victoria Pelova
Frida Maanum – 70′ replaced Stina Blackstenius
Chloe Kelly – 90′ replaced Caitlin Foord
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Chelsea Player Ratings
GK: Hannah Hampton – 7/10 – Looked nervous with the ball at her feet today, made a couple of good stops and demonstrated good awareness of the space in behind too. Would have hoped to have done better with Arsenal’s equaliser.
RB: Lucy Bronze – 5/10 – Was left for dead midway through the first half by Foord, that happened more than once in this one. Not a vintage performance.
CB: Nathalie Björn – 8/10 – An assured performance, made an excellent tackle on Blackstenius inside the box as Arsenal looked to build momentum in the first half, it had to be perfect, it was.
CB: Millie Bright – 6/10 – Dispossessed by Russo in her own box and was lucky not to be punished for it.
LB: Niamh Charles – 6/10 – Had a difficult game but kept battling, won only 2 of her 10 duels.
DM: Keira Walsh– 7/10 – The type of player that Arsenal missed today, kept things ticking for the visitors.
CM: Erin Cuthbert – 7/10 – A battling performance from Cuthbert, relishes derby day.
CM: Wieke Kaptein – 8/10 – Kaptein popped up all over the pitch causing issues for Arsenal. She could have scored a couple on the day.
LW: Alyssa Thompson – 8/10 – Thompson made the opening goal happen, driving from deep, the one, two combination with Kaneryd, simply world class.
RW: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd – 8/10 – Her direct running caused Arsenal plenty of issues early on, finding space in between McCabe and Catley.
ST: Catarina Macario – 6/10 – Pulled the strings in the final third for Chelsea early doors, set up Kaneryd for what should have been the opener early on. Struggled for involvement as the game went on and only had 25 touches in 70 minutes on the pitch.
SUBS
Ellie Carpenter – 61′ replaced Lucy Bronze
Sam Kerr– 70′ replaced Catarina Macario
Sandy Baltimore – 86′ replaced Alyssa Thompson
Oriane Jean-Francois – 86′ replaced Wieke Kaptein
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The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Alessia Russo