Chelsea Women vs Arsenal Women. Women's Super League.
Kingsmeadow StadiumAttendance3,456.
Emma Hayes' side will be crowned WSL champions if they beat Reading on the final day, and likely even if they draw; Arsenal out of title race but look set for a Champions League spot
Monday 22 May 2023 09:03, UK
Chelsea took a step closer to winning a fourth straight WSL title with a dominant 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Kingsmeadow, knocking the Gunners out of the title race.
Emma Hayes' side would have been crowned WSL champions on Sunday evening had Man Utd dropped points at home to Man City, but a late 2-1 win took the title race to a final day.
It means Chelsea sit two points ahead of Man Utd with a game remaining, and will win the title with a win at bottom side Reading on Sunday, and likely even with a draw, if Man Utd can't win at Liverpool and achieve a six-goal swing.
An energetic Chelsea took the lead through Guro Reiten midway through the first half, stretching unmarked to slide home Eve Perisset's driven cross into the bottom corner, her 12th goal of a superb season.
Chelsea doubled their lead just before the break as Reiten's free-kick was headed back across goal by Sam Kerr for Magdalena Eriksson to bundle home (41), a special moment for the skipper, days after announcing she'd be leaving the club at the end of the season.
Katie McCabe, who Chelsea tried to sign in January, dragged a penalty wide for Arsenal (60), but the Blues saw the game out professionally for a deserved three points, their 18th win in 21 games this season, and sixth straight victory as they look to continue their domestic dominance.
Chelsea just need a win at bottom club Reading - and likely even a point will do - to claim a fourth straight WSL title.
Man Utd must beat Liverpool on Saturday, and hope Chelsea lose at Reading, or draw at Reading with a six-goal swing included in Man Utd's favour.
The three WCL spots are also all but secured for Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal. City's 2-1 defeat at Man Utd also means they are unlikely to make next season's Champions League. They need to win their final game against Everton, hope Arsenal lose at home to Villa, and achieve an 11-goal swing.
Saturday May 27: Reading vs Chelsea, Arsenal vs Aston Villa, Liverpool vs Manchester United, Man City vs Everton, all kick-off at 2.30pm
Chelsea penned Arsenal back early on; Kerr found the net only to be ruled offside, but the first clear-cut chance fell to Arsenal on the break, as Ann-Katrin Berger denied Stina Blackstenius, sparing Perisset's blushes after losing possession in midfield.
Perisset was involved in the opener, though, as Chelsea took a deserved lead. Her diagonal to the back post found an unmarked Reiten, who slid into the bottom right corner from 10 yards.
Berger took two attempts to claw away Frida Maanum's fierce shot shortly after, before Kerr was denied by Manuela Zinsberger at the other end, but Chelsea's overall dominance told as departing captain Eriksson converted from close range from an unselfish Kerr header across the face of goal.
Even Jonas Eidevall, looking military-like in a full army green tracksuit for the trip to their London enemies, couldn't begrudge the hosts of their cushion. He changed the system at half-time, bringing Steph Catley on for Kathrine Kuhl, but it did little to stem the flow as Zinsberger brilliantly denied Pernille Harder early in the second.
Arsenal did hit the bar through Foord's far-post nudge, and they were awarded a penalty when McCabe's volley hit Ingle's arm. McCabe stepped up, but dragged her kick wide of the right-hand post.
Chelsea should have had a third in injury time as Jessie Fleming opted to square for Kerr instead of going alone, the ball hitting Lotte Wubben-Moy and just stopped on the line by Zinsberger.
It was the perfect Kingsmeadow send off for Harder and Eriksson, who leave the club this summer, with an exuberant Hayes addressing the fans after the game by paying tribute to the pair, and also describing the rest of her team as "f****** amazing!"
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes:
"I'm really happy we've won, but I'm really sad we're losing two amazing people [Eriksson and Harder.]
"This calendar has been relentless from March onwards. I think this team does really well with a lot of games. The squad have been amazing this season.
"Everyone looks on the pitch and sees 11 people, I see the years of work, analysis, meetings, the tough times, the good times, all of those things. This team have a habit of peaking"
Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall:
"The way we started the game is the thing I'm most dissatisfied with. We know we can do it better. It was great to see the players fearless and brave in the second half, and we moved Chelsea around a bit more.
"This season has been tough with injuries, of course. Injuries are one factor [for not having success]. Player availability is a really important KPI if you're going to be successful. We need to have a deeper squad in order to deal with those situations. You can see with Chelsea they've been able to use their squad in a very deep way."
