Bompastor’s Chelsea march on in WSL as Reiten penalty sinks United | OneFootball

Sonia Bompastor’s extraordinary start to life in the WSL continued with a 1-0 defeat of Manchester United at Kingsmeadow. It was Chelsea’s eighth win in eight league games and opened up a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City at the top of the WSL. Scarily, this form is coming at the beginning of the French manager’s tenure, when they should be in transition, while the players are still getting to know the former Lyon manager and her style of play.

It was a tale of two managers at Kingsmeadow, both unbeaten, one being applauded and one decidedly under pressure. After three full seasons in charge at United, Marc Skinner’s position is under almost constant scrutiny. A first defeat added to three draws puts them fifth in the league and the small “Skinner out” signs remain ever present, with fans latching on to the subtle disquiet of every recently departed player in interviews.

There was cause for United to be itching for revenge, despite having beaten the Blues in the semi-finals on the way to a historic first FA Cup. A humiliating 6-0 defeat at Old Trafford on the final day of the season, a week after they lifted their first major trophy, hurt. After the battering, in which Colombian forward Mayra Ramírez ran riot, the beleaguered Reds traipsed round the edge of the pitch with their FA Cup while Chelsea received their WSL winners’ medals and trophy in front of the corner of ecstatic away fans.

The pain of that defeat will likely never go – Rachel Williams said as much in pre-season, when she included it in a list of the moments that she will never shake. “It still sits with me now, it’s not gone,” she said. “It wasn’t us. It wasn’t good enough. I’m glad that a lot of the girls still feel that last day.”

At Kingsmeadow the opportunity for vengeance felt distant. Despite being a meeting of the final two unbeaten WSL sides, the traffic and energy was one way. It was indicative of the fact that despite their run United have been far from dominant, with the three draws putting them six points and four places behind their opponents.

By half-time United were only a goal down and they could be grateful for that. Chelsea had five shots – two on target – to United’s zero, 19 touches in the box to three and 69.1% possession. The only stat in which United had the edge? Fouls, with 12 fouls and three yellow cards to Chelsea’s three fouls and zero bookings. The Chelsea fans were taking no prisoners. “We won the league, at Old Trafford”, “just like London, your city is blue” and “6-0, in your own backyard”, among the chants.

The source of the goal was another punch to the gut for the visiting team, Maika Hamano’s ball released Ramírez and goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce dived into the legs of their Old Trafford tormenter, bringing her down and conceding a penalty that Guro Reiten converted.

United marginally improved after the break but Geyse was their only convincing threat. The Brazilian forward sent a shot off Sjoeke Nüsken that looped down in the wind and forced a save from Hannah Hampton in their brightest moment.

Chelsea should have doubled their lead though after weathering a brief spell of pressure, Erin Cuthbert forcing a save from Tullis-Joyce and Lucy Bronze putting the ball wide from a corner at the back post.

There was a furious push for an equaliser from United in stoppage time, the substitute Melvine Malard striking the woodwork and a corner grazing the crossbar, but it was not enough. Chelsea have conceded only three goals in the league this term and they were not giving up the three points.

Bompastor marches on and Skinner remains in the spotlight, the narrow margin between the sides the only positive for United on the windiest of days.

Header image: [Photograph: James Fearn/Getty Images]