Manchester City Women 1, Chelsea Women 1
Guro Reiten’s injury time equaliser salvaged a point for Chelsea against a Manchester City side had been ahead to an early Chloe Kelly strike but were reduced to nine players.
It was hardly a violent game but after a flurry of 11 yellow cards, at least four of them for dissent, City were stunned by two red cards for second yellow card infringements but almost hung on until the end of a unique game as Chelsea hit the woodwork 3 times before they dramatically levelled the game.
Chloe Kelly opened the scoring with a deflected shot off Jess Carter but Manchester City were hit by a surprise red card for captain Alex Greenwood after 38 minutes.
Referee Emily Heaslip issued a second yellow card to Greenwood who apparently took 26 seconds to take a free kick and proceeded to book three more City players for dissent before half time following the baffling decision.
Chelsea, who had been out of sorts in the first half, only tested Khiara Keating once – a header by Sophie Ingle – but they brought on Sam Kerr after the restart to try and get the equaliser.
City’s second half was one of possession football and survival, backed by a vociferous crowd who booed the referee at every turn.
Fran Kirby and Melanie Leupolz were introduced at the hour mark as Chelsea still looked short of ideas against resolute City.
Resorting to shoot from distance Lauren James tried a curling shot that came off the crossbar.
City then made their first subs, with Ruby Mace and Bunny Shaw coming on for Filippa Angeldahl and Chloe Kelly.
But City were reduced to nine players when Lauren Hemp was given a second yellow card for fouling Lauren James.
Gareth Taylor was booked shortly afterwards while Shaw’s late shot was deflected over the bar.
Embed from Getty ImagesJulie Blakstad was brought on for Jill Roord with 5 minutes to go and she drew cheers when she kept the ball at the corner flag to waste more time.
Millie Bright headed against the crossbar while Sam Kerr miskicked the followup.
And from a late corner, with Alanna Kennedy off the pitch getting treatment from cramp, a Bright header from a Chelsea corner was saved by Keating but City could not stop Guro Reiten from hitting the follow-up to Bright’s header going past her in the 6th of 8 added minutes.
Kerr hit the post in a frenetic finish as the game went to 102 minutes but City managed to hold on.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City Women 1, Chelsea Women 1
Khiara Keating: 9. Great save to deny Sophie Ingle’s header from close range and saved well from Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby. Did everything right as the stakes increased but couldn’t stop Guro Reiten in injury time after Chelsea finally battered the door down from the rebound after she had saved a great header from Millie Bright.
Esme Morgan: 8. Shuffled to centre back once Alex Greenwood was sent off.
Alanna Kennedy: 8. She stepped up after becoming the senior defender once Alex Greenwood was sent off. Cramped up in the second half and was off the pitch when Chelsea scored the equaliser.
Alex Greenwood: 6. Sent off for a second yellow card for timewasting while taking a free kick.
Laia Aleixandri: 7. Booked for approaching the referee after she sent off Alex Greenwood.
Yui Hasegawa: 8. Her usual bustling self in midfield.
Filippa Angeldahl: 6. Got important blocks in and had to go right back once Alex Greenwood had been sent off.
Jill Roord: 6. Not afraid to have a shot from deep. Sacrificed as City tried to hang on.
Chloe Kelly: 7. Started on the left wing. Scored a great goal assisted by deflection from Jess Carter, hard working defensively and swapped wings with Mary Fowler to keep Chelsea guessing. Outpaced Jess Carter late in the game but couldn’t keep her solo run going for a clear shot.
Lauren Hemp: 7. Played up front and tested Zecira Musocvic with early shot. Great skill to beat two players to try and set up Chloe Kelly in the second half. Needed treatment for a shoulder injury after being tripped by Ashley Lawrence. Dropped to left back to help the defence but sent off for a foul after a needless booking for dissent.
Mary Fowler: 7. Played both flanks and dropped deep – set up Chloe Kelly. Denied a goal by a block from Niamh Charles and had to drop into midfield once Alex Greenwood was sent off. Replaced by Kerstin Casparij at the break.
Kerstin Casparij (on for Mary Fowler, 46): 6. Played a part in the City rearguard action.
Ruby Mace (on for Filippa Angeldahl, 80): no time to mark.
Khadija Shaw (on for Chloe Kelly, 80): No time to mark.
Julie Blakstad (on for Jim Roord, 85): No time to mark.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 1, Chelsea Women 1
Man City Women 1, Chelsea Women 0: 7. Chloe Kelly thrashed a looping shot that look a deflection off Jess Carter to leave Zecira Musovic wrong footed from 25 yards out after getting the ball from Mary Fowler.
Man City Women 1, Chelsea Women 1: 90+6. Guro Reiten reacted first to stab home the rebound after Khiara Keating had saved a late chance for Millie Bright.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 1, Chelsea Women 1
Man City Women: Keating, Morgan, Kennedy, Greenwood, Aleixandri, Hasegawa, Angeldahl (Mace 80), Roord (Blakstad 85), Kelly (Shaw 80), Hemp, Fowler (Casparij 46)
Man City Women Subs not used: MacIver, Houghton, Coombs, Castellanos, Park
Booked: Greenwood 17 (foul on Jessie Fleming), 38 (time wasting); Aleixandri 38 (dissent); Kelly 38 (dissent); Roord 45+3 (dissent at half time); Hemp 67 (dissent), Hemp 81 (foul on Lauren James)
Red Card: Greenwood 38 (second yellow card), Hemp 81 (second yellow card)
Manager Booking: Gareth Taylor 82 (Dissent)
Goal: Kelly 7
Chelsea Women: Musovic, Lawrence (Perisset 70), Bright, Carter, Charles, Ingle (Cankovic 46), Cuthbert (Leupolz 60), James, Fleming (Kirby 61), Reiten, Fishel (Kerr 46)
Chelsea Women Subs not used: Berger, Nusken, Mjelde, Rytting Kaneryd
Booked: James 11 (foul on Laia Aleixandri); Charles 35 (foul on Chloe Kelly); Cancovic 90+8 (foul on Khadija Shaw)
Goal: Reiten 90+6
Referee: Emily Heaslip