WSL: Man United keep pressure on pack leaders with Chelsea draw | OneFootball

Manchester United and Chelsea drew 1-1 in an enthralling top of the table Women’s Super League clash on Friday night.

Marc Skinner’s Reds went into the game looking for a first ever WSL win against a Chelsea side that had won their opening four matches this season.

Both sides came out on the front foot, but United had the first attempt of the evening. Elisabeth Terland was denied by the outstretched foot of Hannah Hampton with barely two minutes on the clock.

An end-to-end opening continued as Jess Park skimmed the top of the crossbar following a swift United break. Aggie Beever-Jones had Chelsea’s first effort on goal of the night, but she could only shoot over having met Ellie Carpenter’s cross at the front post.

That all happened within the opening six minutes. A goal seemed inevitable.

When it did come, it was the champions who opened the scoring. Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd received the ball out wide and played an incisive ball into the box for Catarina Macario. The American’s back-heel was inch perfect for Wieke Kaptein, who slotted home to cap off a wonderfully crafted Chelsea move.

United remained unflustered and were soon back on the attack. Sandy Baltimore denied Park with a brilliant sliding block to snuff out a chance following good work from Dominique Janssen in the middle of the park.

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Man United level the scoreline inside the first half

The hosts didn’t have to wait long to level proceedings. With 20 minutes gone, the ball fell kindly to Anna Sandberg on the edge of the Chelsea box. The Swedish left back didn’t hesitate to put her foot through the ball and send an absolute piledriver screaming past Hampton.

Chelsea could, and perhaps should, have retaken the lead with ten minutes of the first half to play. Beever-Jones’ cross found Kaptein in space in the middle of the six yard box. The Dutch international directed the ball goalwards, but was denied by a great save from Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who raced across her line to bat the ball away.

The second half started amid a deluge of rain. On the pitch, United poured forward, with Fridolina Rolfö coming close twice in quick succession. First, she saw a shot deflected onto the top of the bar by a horde of advancing Chelsea shirts. The resulting corner was headed behind by Nathalie Björn, allowing United to keep the pressure on. Second time around, Sandberg crossed in, but compatriot Rolfö headed wide.

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Both sides continued to trade chances with both Beever-Jones and Melvine Malard seeing chances land just inches wide.

With ten minutes of the match left, Chelsea stepped up the pressure. Sjoeke Nüsken was introduced and she too went close with a shot from 25 yards out.

A turnover in midfield nearly caused United’s undoing as Janssen’s backpass put Tullis-Joyce under pressure to clear, but the American shot-stopper was quick to snuff out the danger with Alyssa Thompson closing in.

Tullis-Joyce was on hand to make a routine save from Keira Walsh’s long range drive before Maya Le Tissier threw herself in front of Guro Reiten’s goalbound effort as both sides were forced to settle for a point.

Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea remain top of the WSL. United are just two points behind in second place as their wait for a first league win over the Blues goes on.

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