MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 2, CHELSEA WOMEN 2
Manchester City’s Women’s team were held by Chelsea Women after Ji So-yun scored twice to cancel out goals by Tessa Wullaert and Georgia Stanway
City could only open up a 2 point lead on Arsenal, who now have 2 games in hand, as the WSL season entered its final third.
First half goals by Tessa Wullaert and Georgia Stanway underlined City’s clinical finishing after Chelsea were wasteful with early chances, but the visitors scored just after the break through Ji So-yun.
It was City on the retreat after that as Chelsea pushed for the equaliser and Nikita Parris missed two one-on-one chances to put the game beyond Chelsea in the second half.
And those missed chances came back to haunt City after Ji So-yun’s goals hauled Chelsea back to parity and opened the door to their fierce rivals to overtake City for the WSL title.
Parris became the latest player from Manchester City’s squad to celebrate 100 WSL appearances for the Blues as they faced Chelsea in a top of the table clash at the City Football Academy.
The game came just days after City beat Chelsea 2-0 courtesy of two more goals by Parris to take her overall goal tally to 57 goals in 117 appearances in all competitions.
Chelsea surprised City with the intensity of their high press early on and Karen Bardsley had to be alert to get down to smother a shot from Bethany England after she had forced a mistake out of Jen Beattie after just four minutes.
Bardsley saved again from England after 8 minutes as Chelsea seemed intent on grabbing an early goal.
City had chances of their own, though, and Caroline Weir had a tame early free kick saved by Hedvig Lindahl she gave the Swedish keeper a harder shot to save at the end of a City counter attack.
Manchester City Women clinical in the first half against Chelsea Women
Chelsea were overcommitting players to the high press and City immediately capitalised when they lost the the ball, with Tessa Wullaert allowed to run deep into the Chelsea area on the break after dispossessing Millie Bright before scoring past Lindahl after 12 minutes.
First blood to City then, and Ji So-yun responded for Chelsea immediately but her shot was saved acrobatically by Bardsley after City failed to clear the ball.
City were in the ascendancy and Lindahl had to save from Georgia Stanway and Beattie as the home side got their bearings.
City were soon 2-0 up after Georgia Stanway’s angled shot went in off the back post after a lay off by Jill Scott in the 24th minute.
City were not letting up on their own pressing game though, and were putting on a committed show of disrupting Chelsea and preventing them from getting their midfield passing game together.
Chelsea needed a bit of solo magic to make a chance and Ji’s tricks, turns, and shot on goal proved that they were not to be underestimated though, and Bardsley was there again with another save after 32 minutes while Drew Spence put a Karen Carney corner wide.
Chelsea started the second half at high tempo and England had a shot blocked by Steph Houghton before Spence ’s effort was saved by Bardsley.
City could have extended their lead early in the second half when Parris dispossessed Magdalena Eriksson and pulled the ball back for Weir whose shot came back off Lindahl and hit the post.
Ji So-yun double strike levels it for Chelsea Women
But it was Chelsea who scored next with Ji who tucked away a loose ball in the box from 8 yards out in the 50th minute.
The next goal was going to be crucial now.
Ji was still trying to fashion something out of nothing and found Spence in space but her shot was blocked by Houghton as Chelsea came back into the game on the hour mark.
Stanway’s deep through ball sent Parris clear but she screwed her ball wide of the near post with just Lindahl to beat as little separated the sides.
Chelsea introduced Fran Kirby for Carney after 64 minutes as they pushed City back in search of the equaliser.
Wullaert’s through ball sent Parris clear once again but she lifted her ball wide while clean through as City nerves began to show in the 73rd minute.
Ingle was replaced by Ramona Bachmann for Chelsea while Lauren Hemp replaced Wullaert after Bachmann sent a ball over the bar following a goalmouth scramble.
Kirby’s poor touch sent a cross wide and had a fierce effort saved by Bardsley as Chelsea went all out before Ji sent a free kick from 25 yards past the England ‘keeper in the 89th minute courtesy of a deflection off the wall.
There was last minute controversy as Stanway went down under the close attention of Jonna Anderson in the last minute but there was no penalty given and despite Nick Cushing throwing on Megan Campbell and Janine Beckie late on there was to be no late winner.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 2, Chelsea 2
Man City Women 1, Chelsea Women 0: 12. Tessa Wullaert ended a solo run with a superbly taken goal from the edge of the box after Chelsea were caught on the break.
Man City Women 2, Chelsea Women 0: 24. Georgia Stanway’s angled shot from 20 yards out went in off the far post after a layoff by Jill Scott from Keira Walsh’s forward pass.
Man City Women 2, Chelsea Women 1: 50. Ji So-yun pulls a goal back, reacting first to a loose ball in the City box after they failed to clear England’s touch.
Man City Women 2, Chelsea Women 2: 89. Ji levels it with a free kick from 25 yards which dipped under the bar.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 2, Chelsea 2
Man City Women: Bardsley, Bonner, Beattie, Houghton, Stokes, Walsh, Scott, Weir (Campbell 90+1), Wullaert (Hemp 80), Stanway, Parris (Beckie 90+3)
Man City Women Subs not used: Roebuck, Morgan, Emslie, Bremer
Goals: Wullaert 12, Stanway 24
Chelsea Women: Lindahl, Blundell, Bright, Ingle (Bachmann 76), Carney (Kirby 64), Ji, England, Eriksson, Andersson, Cuthbert, Spence
Chelsea Women Subs not used: Berger, Asante, Carter, Riley, Cooper
Booked: Bright 6 (foul on Nikita Parris), Spence 18 (bringing down Georgia Stanway)
Goals: Ji 50, 89
Attendance: 3078