A perfect start to the new season for both sides at the start of the 2016 FAWSL season, Chelsea Ladies having won the title last season have begun the season with 4 straight league wins, manager Emma Hayes adding more depth to an already strong squad has a lot of attacking options to chose from. Suffered a blow at the weekend losing the FA Women's Cup Final having been defending the trophy to Arsenal Ladies in what was an uncharacteristic below par performance.
Manchester City Women travel to Staines Town FC with a perfect start to the league campaign themselves as they look to mount a challenge to win the FAWSL title for the 1st time. 5 wins out of 5 to date 3 points clear at the top have yet to concede a goal either. Early days yet but a win tonight would put them 6 points clear a massive advantage in a 16 game league.
Any evening trip in midweek from Norfolk down to Staines Town FC is going to be a challenge, allow plenty of time cause you'll get held up somewhere. 3 hours on the road and arrived at the ground. Expecting a good sized crowd for this game, several had travelled from Manchester too. Sat up in the main stand over looking the pitch for a change instead of standing behind the dugouts on the opposite side. An overcast sky but still reasonably warm as the two sides walked out of the tunnel onto the pitch the floodlights on.
Chelsea Ladies starting XI - Hedvig Lindahl, Hannah Blundell, Claire Rafferty, Niamh Fahey, Gilly Flaherty, Katie Chapman (C), Drew Spence, Millie Bright, Fran Kirby, Eniola Aluko & Beth England.
subs - Becky Spencer, Gemma Davison, Karen Carney, Ji So-Yun, Jade Bailey & Laura Rafferty.
Manchester City Women starting XI - Karen Bardsley, Lucy Bronze, Demi Stokes, Steph Houghton (C), Abbie McManus, Jill Scott, Jennifer Beattie, Kosovare Asllani, Nikita Parris, Toni Duggan & Jane Ross.
subs - Marie Hourihan, Megan Campbell, Izzy Christiansen, Daphne Corboz, Georgia Stanway, Zoe Tynan.
Manchester City to kick off the game wearing sky blue shirts and socks with white shorts. Chelsea lined up opposite wearing blue shirts and shorts with white socks. The ball is with righ back Lucy Bronze, plays it forwards into the right channel with Jill Scott making the run ahead of her, taking the ball on down the line squares the cross in towards the near post area, tracking back centre back Gilly Flaherty gets her head to the ball to send it clear out of the area.
Getting her foot on the ball in the centre of midfield, Manchester City's Jennifer Beattie plays a great crossfield ball from left out to Lucy Bronze surging forwards on the right taking the ball into her stride 25 yards out cuts inside driving across the face of the Chelsea box unleashes a shot, drilling the ball in towards goal, rolls wide of the near post goal kick.
A bright start from Manchester City as they attack again Jill Scott getting the better of Millie Bright and going on with the ball right side her cross into the area is a little too strong for Toni Duggan. The players lined up in midfield for both sides suggest it will be a combative contest and the challenges are strong, too strong from Drew Spence on Beattie she picks up an early yellow card. Beattie needs treatment from the physio but is able to continue.
Travelling with the ball into the Chelsea box Scott wins her side a corner, taken from the right Swedish International Kosovare Asllani to play the ball in the target is captain Steph Houghton up from the back too long fro her comes to Jane Ross the Scottish International striker passes the ball back to Houghton back on the edge of the area gets her foot over the ball sending the shot in towards goal the ball bounces through to Chelsea goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl.
 |
| Manchester City's Jane Ross |
Manchester City are pressing the ball well as a unit, Chelsea aren't matching them in the opening 15 minutes Bright gets the ball forwards a half chance for Fran Kirby hitting the ball on the half volley sends the shot wide of goal. The midfield contest continues to be heated Asllani and Chelsea captain Katie Chapman square up to one another on the far side. Asllani is out to the left side as Manchester City go forwards winning from Hannah Blundell at right back rolls the ball back to Ross making a move towards the left corner of the area, turning inside goes for goal 20 yards out striking the ball across the goal, looking for the top corner, flies just wide of target.
Eniola Aluko has had little opportunity to get on the ball for Chelsea, a willing runner always ready to run into the channels right or left, is left side as Chapman winning the tackle in the centre tries to play her in coming round the back of the Manchester City defence into the area, goalkeeper Karen Bardsley rushing out of her goal slides in to get her gloves around the ball before she can get to it.
On the right for Manchester City Nikita Parris has the ball played into her inside the Chelsea half holds it up will before springing clear of her marker and driving forwards goes on a mazy run down the line before drilling the ball into the box, Flaherty is there to clear it again putting it behind for a corner at the near post. The corner from Asllani is sent long into the area, Bright gets up to head the ball away, Manchester City get it back and play the ball back out to Asllani on the right side sweeps the cross into the area Duggan in a central position gets her head on the ball the effort going over the crossbar.
 |
| Manchester City's Kosovare Asllani battle with Chelsea captain Katie Chapman for the ball |
Beth England and Spence have possession of the ball deep on the right for Chelsea wining the throw the ball is turned inside along the face of the area Bright latches onto the ball firing in a shot the strike going over the bar. Kirby out on the left side sends a cross into the area, England making the run tries to get onto the end of the ball right of goal, can't quite get there.
 |
| Toni Duggan |
Duggan flashes a shot in from the left hitting it on the half volley after getting it from a throw, sent in towards the near post Lindahl makes the save punching the ball away for a corner kick. Asllani looks to play the ball in towards Duggan making a move to the ball near side 10 yards out looks to turn the shot in 1st time puts it well wide of goal.
 |
| Nikita Parris looking to get past, Claire Rafferty |
Has taken Chelsea a while to impose themselves on the game getting stronger as the game reaches the half hour mark, Spence a powerhouse on the ball rides two challenges as she surges forwards, bursting into the box right of goal shoots, Bardsley makes the save. Another chance falls to Spence moments later sends the shot over the bar this time. Up the other end Asllani central 30 yards out look to lift the ball over the top into the Chelsea box with Ross providing the run, Lindahl reading it early is out to the edge of the area rapidly and gets her gloves on the ball first.
Throw on the left side for Chelsea inside the Manchester City half, Aluko has the ball at her feet turns inside before switching play back out to the left side with Kirby running into space looking to get onto the end of the ball sent into the area, Abbie McManus comes racing across to slide in on the ball send it away for the corner. Taken on the left the corner is cleared at the near post, Chelsea retrieve and the ball is sent back up into the area Bright gets hold of the ball goes for goal flashes her shot wide from just inside the area.
Flaherty isn't happy as she adjudged to have tripped Parris on the right giving away a free kick in a wide position, not sure their was too much contact. Nevertheless Asllani has a chance to play the ball up towards the edge of the box, Chelsea head clear. Penalty call for Manchester City as Asllani picking up the ball on the left side drives into the area Blundell is with her shoulder to shoulder, Asllani ends up on the deck, the referee waves the appeals away was well positioned to have a good view of it. Bright is yellow carded after she fouls Beattie inside the Manchester City half.
GOAL! A minute left to play in the 1st half and Manchester City get themselves a goal. From the free kick Manchester City get the ball out to Asllani out on the right cuts back inside and plays a great ball into the box far side with Stokes making the run hits the ball hard and low across the face of goal into the far corner 0-1.
 |
| Demi Stokes scores the opening goal her 1st for Manchester City |
1st half injury time 2 minutes to be played Chelsea have the ball deep on the left, Aluko and Rafferty combine the full back playing the ball into the box, Bright the target, Manchester City defend and bring the ball away as the whistle blows for half-time.
Half-time Chelsea Ladies 0-1 Manchester City Women
Manchester City by far the better side 1st half have been well organised and their movement has caused Chelsea some problems have battled well in midfield and got the ball into their attackers taking the lead on the stroke of half-time. Emma Hayes has the harder team talk at half-time but the lead is just a single goal, they are not out of it by any stretch and improved late in the half. No changes at half time as Chelsea kick off the 2nd half.
Look to play Aluko through the middle straight away, the ball too strong rolls through for Bardsley to gather 1st. A sweeping ball from Beattie in the centre out to Parris on the right side sees the attacker take the ball into the box, good tackle from Rafferty, puts the ball out for a corner on the left.
GOAL! Manchester City double their lead with just 3 minutes played in the 2nd half, players crowding the six yard box the ball flung in from Asllani goes long to Beattie far side, gets her head on the ball knocking it back in central, comes at Duggan quickly striking her the ball it deflected off her head in towards goal, dropping, Chelsea have bodies there but can't get it away as it goes over the line 0-2.
 |
| Jennifer Beattie's header is deflected in for Manchester City's 2nd goal |
Not long after Emma Hayes rings the changes a double substitution on 47 minutes, Bright and England are taken off, Ji So-Yun and Gemma Davison sent on. The substitutes make a mark on the game straight away, Korean International So-Yun putting her foot on the ball 25 yards out central plays the pass into Kirby holding position right corner outside the area, Davison provides an option right going past her Kirby sends the ball on for her then spins to get into the area, Davison fires the cross in along the six yard line is behind Kirby near post side runs through to So-Yun behind her lifts the shot and it smashes against the crossbar. Bouncing down and still in play cleared to the edge of the area the shot comes back in but is straight at Bardsley.
More lively from Chelsea now, Davison will come to pick up the ball then look to take players on a drive through the centre, touches left and right taking the ball into the box, no room for the shot tries to lay it across the D for Spence making a forwards run, too much weight on the ball. Davison on the ball again gets it out to Aluko on the left, Rafferty is up with her looking to go past on the overlap travel into the box receives the ball fires her shot into the side netting.
Much better from Chelsea now, and on 60 minutes Manchester City respond by making a chance of their own off comes Asllani who has played really well, on comes Izzy Christiansen returning to the pitch after an injury lay off. Aluko and Rafferty combine on the left side again, the full back flashing a cross along the six yard box no one there to get on the end of it. Good defending from McManus as Chelsea build an attack gives herself a half yard as the ball is played into Kirby in front of her, gives her the room to put in a clean tackle to stop her breaking clear on goal.
A 3rd change for Chelsea as they replace Spence with Karen Carney in the middle. Stokes taking the ball on up the left plays it forwards into Parris ahead of her she cuts inside and looks to try and curl a shot into the top corner, doesn't get the bend to trouble Lindahl the shot comes straight into her midriff. Chelsea are having more of the ball s they look for a goal to get themselves back into the match however Manchester City continue to be well organised and are defending well.
Nearly a costly mistake at the back for Chelsea the back pass played back to Lindahl the keeper puts it straight into Parris on the edge of the box, surging forwards, right of goal looks to shoot the goalkeeper, reacting smartly comes to close her down going to ground gets her body in the way to block and save the ball out for a corner kick. Parris rises in the box to get onto the end of the delivery from the corner, heading the ball into the bodies in front of her the ball is launched clear.
Aluko bursting into space on the right cuts the ball back into the area from the byline, Chapman can't get to it falls to Davison behind her goes for goal her shot takes a deflection as it goes wide a corner given. The set-piece sent in low cleared at the near post as the game enters the last quarter hour. 2nd change for Manchester City with Daphne Corboz coming on for Duggan.
So-Yun plays the ball forwards for Kirby left side as she runs into the box, plays the ball back to the Korean who tries to find and opening moving across the front of the box left to right no way through cuts it back left playing Carney in sends her shot across the face of goal, won't curl back in in time but is very close as it goes out of play around the post.
 |
| Katie Chapman rises with Jill Scott to win the ball |
Corboz is allowed to travel with the ball pushing forwards as she comes inside from the right, closing in on the area Parris is supplying a run from the left wanting the ball put through into the box Corboz delivers sending Parris clear lifts her shot over the advancing Lindahl and turns to celebrate as the ball drops into the back of the net only to see the linesman holding his flag aloft.
Beattie tracking back arrives in her own six yard box to head the ball away as Davison cuts a cross in from the byline on the right. Kirby and So-Yun play the ball to one another central as they try to work their way into the Manchester City area, the Korean running into traffic is crowded off the ball. Free kick for Manchester City inside the Chelsea half, Christiansen to play the ball long to the far post, Chapman and Houghton go up together the latter is left on the ground injured, needs treatment continue. Final change for Manchester City with Ross coming off, Georgia Stanway coming on with the 4th official indicating 4 minutes of added on time to be played.
Bronze finds the energy late on to get forwards and steal the ball from Aluko goes on looking to get into the box and cross, Aluko recovers quickly and gets back on the defender to put on the block and concede the corner.
Into the closing moments of the game Aluko getting up the other end with the ball wins a corner on the left, Davison plays the ball into the area looking for Chapman can't turn her attempted header goalwards is pushed out wide right with Carney giving chase to the ball getting hold of it shifts it to her right to give herself room to pick out a cross, the target Chapman again central a better header this time leaping and knocking the ball down on target, Bardsley with her trade mark full stretch dive gets two big hands around the ball and saves keeping Manchester City's goal conceded column at zero as the final whistle blows and they make it 6 wins out of 6 to open up a formidable 6 point lead at the top of the FAWSL 1 table.
Look in good shape, a disciplined, organised team performance out played Chelsea especially 1st half with a more combative line up which didn't disrupt their game plan as it was intended to. Chelsea have a range of options on the bench and using them were much better 2nd half came very close to pulling at least one goal back but wasn't their day today.
No comments:
Post a Comment