🔗 Share this article

Chelsea and Manchester United each maintained their unbeaten beginnings to the Women’s Super League season, although the title holders' 100% winning record was halted by an entertaining match between the top two.

This outcome extended United's frustratingly long wait for a maiden Women's Super League win over the Blues but they will have taken great confidence from their performance, on a night when each side generated numerous opportunities to win and the home side showed they could very well have the qualities to mount a serious title challenge.

Fast-Paced Start Features Quick Scores

For a match played between the teams with the top two defensive records in the Women's Super League last term, and which had conceded the fewest goals so far this campaign before the start, the match started in a unexpectedly end-to-end fashion as each attacked early on.

The match began at such a rapid tempo that it might well have been 2-2 inside the first six minutes, with Hannah Hampton saving with her feet from the forward, Catarina Macario's shot being blocked by Maya Le Tissier, Jess Park shooting narrowly over the crossbar and then Aggie Beever‑Jones doing the same when she looked likely to find the net.

The visitors did then provide the opener the initial burst of offensive moves had promised, as Wieke Kaptein met Catarina Macario's smart flicked ball and placed a precise, deadly shot low into the side of the net, as the hosts conceded a league goal for only the second time this term.

Anna Sandberg's Spectacular Leveler

United had been defeated in 10 of their previous 11 WSL meetings with the Blues, but this confident version of Marc Skinner's side were not prepared to roll over.

Inspired by the dribbling of Park, who seemed intent to dance her way past as many defenders as possible and was the engine of her team's adventurous play, they persisted to generate chances and they were quickly back on terms when Sandberg scored her maiden goal for the team.

Sandberg could not have struck her shot any better, positioning her boot expertly over the sphere to arrow a first-time effort powerfully past the keeper from just beyond the area.

Solemn Occasion During Storm

The game was played during Storm Amy, which produced swirling rain and strong bursts of breeze, and started with a moment of silence after the tragic incident on a place of worship in Manchester on the previous day, with the home side also wearing armbands as a mark of respect.

Additionally, the two sides joined together in a circle before the game to oppose racial discrimination at the beginning of Black History Month, in a week when the Peterborough United player Rai experienced discriminatory remarks.

The England and Tottenham Hotspur forward Jessica Naz was the victim of racism online over a week earlier.

Stronger Manchester United Push Chelsea

The match took place at the stadium where the Blues secured last season’s championship, with a 1-0 victory in a fixture that had been quite even.

However, this appears to be a much-improved United team from that time, though, and they persisted to pose a danger in the latter period, with Rolfö's deflected shot looping on to the top of the bar before Jess Park's swerving attempt soared just over.

Melvine Malard, on as a substitute, dragged a ground-level shot wide with 21 minutes remaining.

Closing Action Results in Division of Points

Marc Skinner had stated on midweek that he wanted his side to be courageous and “demonstrate to Chelsea that you can beat them”, and they definitely appeared to respond to his motivational words as they kept to play with intensity and offensive purpose, while Chelsea remained threatening at the other end too, with Aggie Beever-Jones coming close.

So great was the extent of the challenge Chelsea were being presented with, there was even a rare instance of frustration from Sonia Bompastor, with the visiting coach shown a caution in the second half after she complained about a set-piece call against her team.

The Blues' Sjoeke Nüsken bent an effort just off target of a post as the away team began to search for a late decisive goal, and Thompson was almost able to race forward on to a unclaimed ball inside the box but she was challenged by the alert United goalkeeper Tullis-Joyce, who also sprang down to her side to deny a Keira Walsh shot shortly after.

Guro Reiten had a shot deflected in stoppage time, as late visiting pressure grew, but in the end a tie was a relatively just outcome and prepares the weekend’s fixtures up perfectly before the other two challengers, Manchester City and the Gunners, go head-to-head on the weekend.

They will be hungry to capitalise on Chelsea and United sharing a point, with Manchester City able to close to within a point of the top team if they win.