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Sunday 24 November 2024 14:05
Manchester United’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end with a narrow 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at Kingsmeadow.
A Guro Reiten first-half penalty was the only thing that separated the two sides as the Reds put in a solid defensive performance across the 90 minutes.
We had to wait patiently for our chances with Geyse coming close to levelling the score in the second half and Malard rattling the woodwork but Marc Skinner’s side couldn’t find an equaliser.
Maya Le Tissier helped to thwart the Blues on many occasions.
FIRST HALF
Geyse, playing down the left, helped cause problems for the hosts’ defence early on, as she linked up well with Rachel Williams but then strayed slightly offside after making a solid run. The Brazilian crossed into the box and the ball found its way into the net, however, the whistle had already gone.
Chelsea got the first tangible chance of the half as Sandy Baltimore found space down the left and whipped it into the box. Moments later, Ramirez found her way into the box but her cutback was intercepted and put behind for a corner. Another chance came for Maika Humano, but her close-range effort was straight into the hands of Phallon Tullis-Joyce. United were beginning to show why they have the best defensive record in the league so far as they dealt with the sustained pressure from Chelsea.
However, with 16 minutes on the clock, Mayra Ramirez found herself through on goal, Tullis-Joyce had a decision to make as she came for the ball but caught the foot of the Chelsea striker and a penalty was awarded. Our shot-stopper went the right way but Reiten’s penalty was a powerful one and put the hosts ahead.
As United looked for an equaliser, the game began to get a little feisty but it was the Reds who were penalised. As the ball was floated into the area, Williams rose to meet it as did Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton in what seemed like a 50/50 challenge but the referee blew the whistle and brandished a yellow card in Williams’s direction.
However, the incident seemed to fuel the Reds for a spell and Williams’s curled delivery was a fraction too far in front of Celin Bizet who was waiting to turn it in.
Chelsea had a chance to attack again just before the break but a display of resolute defending by Millie Turner and Maya Le Tissier, who were throwing everything into this game, prevented the Blues from doubling their lead.
Celine Bizet looks to charge down Sandy Baltimore.
SECOND HALF
United started the second half brightly, an early chance for Geyse went out for a goal-kick and a free-kick was well delivered into the box but the queue of United players couldn’t head it goalwards.
Our best chance of the game so far came from Geyse who found space just outside the area, her strike caught a deflection on the way through and looked to be heading for the top corner but Hampton watched the ball all the way and managed to make the save.
Turner did well to force Ramirez wide making it a tight angle soon after, the Blues forward did manage to get her shot away but Tullis-Joyce made the save to prevent it from sneaking in at the near post. Moments later she was forced into another fantastic save as Erin Cuthbert drove into the box and took a shot which our America international got her fingertips to.
A mix-up at the back between Tullis-Joyce and Turner paved the way for a chance for Chelsea but Le Tissier raced back to put in a fantastic block.
A flurry of Chelsea corners and crosses was met by a strong punch from Tullis-Joyce who was also putting a shift in to keep the Reds in the game. A free-kick to Chelsea in a dangerous area was well defended by United with Geyse putting in a superb block before Ramirez’s effort was well held by Tullis-Joyce.
All of United’s creativity was coming from Geyse and she went on the attack again as we entered six minutes of stoppage time, her fancy footwork helped her get away from the Blues defence. Our no.23 fizzed the ball into the box and found Malard who turned well, shifted her feet and unleashed a shot which Hampton could only watch as it rattled the crossbar.
A number of late chances for the Reds came from set pieces, a free-kick followed by a couple of corners. Tullis-Joyce came up to try and make an impact up front but they couldn’t get past the Chelsea defence, thus ending our unbeaten start to the campaign in the process.
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MATCH DETAILS
Chelsea: Hampton; Bronze, Bjorn, Bright (C), Baltimore; Rytting Kaneryd, Cuthbert, Humano (Macário 56), Nusken, Reiten (Beever-Jones 56); Ramirez.
Unused subs: Musovic, Alejandra Bernabe, Jean-François, Kaptein, Lawrence, Mpome, Périsset.
Goals: Reiten (17).
Booked: Cuthbert.
United: Tullis-Joyce; George (Sandberg 90+3), Turner, Le Tissier (C), Riviere; Janssen, Awujo (Ladd 89), Bizet (Galton 61), Geyse; Clinton, Williams (Malard 61).
Unused subs: Middleton-Patel, Simpson, Miyazawa, Watson.
Booked: Tullis-Joyce, Williams, Clinton, Janssen.
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Sunday 24 November 2024 14:05
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