Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea scored a narrow win over Aston Villa, winning 1-0 at Villa Park. It was a crucial moment as Sarah Mayling scored an own goal with just 10 minutes left and ended Aston Villa’s impressive defence.
The win means that Chelsea gained three crucial points to help them win the Barclays Women’s Super League title. It also extended their advantage over the rest of the table for league play to 10 points.
Team Lineups:
AST Roster:
- D’Angelo
- Mayling
- Parker
- Patten
- Maritz
- Nobbs
- Baijings
- Hansen
- Daly
- Grant
- Nunes
CHE Roster:
- Hampton
- Charles
- Bright
- Bjorn
- Lawrence
- Kaptein
- Cuthbert
- James
- Macario
- Reiten
- Beever-Jones
The Game Details
The day before the deadline for transfers, Chelsea made a significant decision by signing Lioness player Keira Walsh, who was a player at Barcelona at a cost of $440,000. But, Walsh had to wait until she was given the chance to play because the manager Sonia Bompastor chose Wieke Kaptein as well as Erin Cuthbert for the midfield role. While on the bench Walsh observed at the way Chelsea were struggling to establish their pace throughout the game.
Aston Villa displayed determination and determination under their the new head coach Natalia Arroyo. They were able to remain at a distance from Chelsea in check throughout the match. Chelsea were unable to generate good chances due to Villa’s solid defensive system creating a challenge for Villa to break through. There were occasions when Chelsea seemed to be on the right track like the moment Cat Macario passed to Lauren James in the area just outside of the box. James’s effort was thwarted to the left by Lucy Parker. Furthermore, Aggie Beaver-Jones nearly connected by launching a dangerous shot, but she was unable make it through the entire play. Even with these sporadic chances, Chelsea ended the first period without hitting the the target.
When Chelsea had a difficult time attacking and defense, they started to commit mistakes defensively. A mistaken clearance from Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton allowed Gabi Nunes to attempt a scoring, however her effort did not rise enough to be able to beat Hampton. The missed chance showed Villa’s inability to trying to score, since Kirsty Hanson’s shot afterward was blocked by a player.
The second quarter was tougher for Chelsea. Villa becoming more confident was able to continue putting pressure on the opposition. They tried to improve on the momentum they had built in the first half however both teams were difficult to have a significant impact during the closing third. Hanson found herself placed in a good position allowed a ball to slip away and she allowed Chelsea’s defence to regroup, and thwart the danger. Bompastor switched into her bench, and brought her in Maya Ramirez and making a debut appearance with Walsh with the hope of changing the odds to Chelsea’s advantage.
The game took an important change in the 72nd minute. An amazing combination of play by Jordan Nobbs and Rachel Daly resulted in Hanson running forward to the Chelsea defense that was stretched thin at the time. As Hampton out of his line Hanson fired a ferocious shot, however it hit the crossbar before rebounding away. This goal-line shot was an indication of Villa’s solid performance as a team throughout the game.
But, Villa was dealt a sever loss shortly afterwards. In the 82nd minute Lucy Parker, who had played a crucial role in blocking Ramirez but failed to complete her move, which allowed Ramirez to smash through to the left side and then to enter the penalty area. As Villa’s defense was out of their position, Ramirez sent a low shot into the 6-yard box. Maika Hamano was in the box to take it over, but Mayling’s effort to block it resulted in an own goal redirecting the ball to her net.
The sudden turn of events was an incredibly painful moment for Villa. They’d worked extremely hard to ensure that they kept Chelsea as the top team in the Women’s Super League, in control, but they were not given any reward for their efforts. Even with the defeat Villa was able to be content with their accomplishments and hope they can be credited with a new positive starting under Arroyo’s direction.
For Chelsea this win like the weekend’s victory, was late in the game showing their capability to get wins even when not in their prime. The saying “champions typically” triumph despite not playing to their potential is used again as Chelsea won three points from Villa Park.
Key Moments in the Match
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 72 minutes | Hanson strikes the crossbar using a an impressive long-range shot. |
| In 82 minutes | Ramirez’s cross results in an own goal from Mayling which gives Chelsea the advantage. |
Player Highlights
- Keira Walsh made her debut in the Chelsea team, bringing fresh energy for Chelsea.
- Lauren James: There were notable moments, but she was also faced with difficult marking.
- Lucy Parker: Great performance, until the key mistake that leads to a self-made goal.
Both teams displayed grit as well as moments of excellence which demonstrates the competitive nature in the WSL. Chelsea’s win in the final minutes was a sign of their ambitions to win the title and Villa tried to improve upon their impressive performance for the coming games.
