Match report: Nüsken's winner settles wild game
Sjoeke Nüsken fired Chelsea back up to second place in the Women’s Super League with a dramatic late winner in a 4-3 victory over Aston Villa. The Blues’ Champions League hopes looked set to suffer another blow when Villa came from 3-1 down to draw level in a breathless first half.
But Nüsken struck with eight minutes remaining to keep the six-time champions’ slim title hopes mathematically alive, although they trail Manchester City by nine points.
Villa took a shock lead at Kingsmeadow with less than two minutes on the clock after Lucy Bronze gave the ball away to Chasity Grant. The Dutch winger played it out to Lynn Wilms and then arrived at the near post to meet the cross and sweep the ball past Hannah Hampton.
Chelsea equalised in the 20th minute when Sam Kerr, back from Asian Cup duty with Australia, latched on to Nüsken’s pass and fired home. Within seven minutes the Blues were 3-1 up, first with Naomi Girma touching a Lauren James cross into the net for her first WSL goal. Then James, who scored Chelsea’s goal in Tuesday’s 3-1 Champions League first-leg defeat at Arsenal, drilled in the third from 20 yards.
However five minutes later Villa hit back when Wilms delivered another cross and Kirsty Hanson got in front of Bronze to dispatch it. And the visitors made it six goals in a crazy first 35 minutes when Wilms tried to bring a cross down and Hanson buried the loose ball.
Chelsea dominated the second half and Alyssa Thompson missed a gilt-edged chance when she headed over from four yards. But the winner arrived when Ellie Carpenter won the ball in midfield and found Kerr, who teed up Nüsken for a first-time finish into the corner. PA Media
Righto, that’s us done for today. Thanks a lot for your company and enjoy the rest of the weekend; peace.
In the other midday kick-off, West Ham and London City have drawn 1-1. To complete the weekend, Brighton visit Leicester, kicking-off at 3pm.
WSL table
A tough game, says matchwinner Nusken, and the pressure they built towards the end means they’re deserved winners; Villa showed they’re a good team.
James says it’s a tough block of games with another to come, so she’s glad to get the win.
I didn’t love how Chelsea played in the second half, but they stuck at it, and delivered a moment of quality to seize the win.
FULL TIME: Chelsea 4-3 Aston Villa
A fantastic contest with a winner to match, and Chelsea haven’t quite forsaken their title – also taking control of the battle for third place.
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90+8 min The first ball is cleared, but Nightswonger gets another go at a cross, the ball hits Patten, she can’t quite get her shot away, and eventually, Hampton claims.
90+7 min Baltimore swings the free-kick in, which narrowly eludes Potter. So Villa go down the other end, win a corner, and D’Angelo canters forward…
90+6 min Lovely footwork from James down the right, rolling studs over the ball then oozing away from Nightswonger, who brings her down. Free-kick Chelsea, wide on the right, and she’s replaced by Potter before she can take it; she is so, so good – and getting better.
90+4 min Chelsea continue to put Villa under pressure, denying them any chance of an equaliser. Often, in this situation, you see teams sit back, invite pressure, and hope they deal with whatever arises, but it makes much more sense to keep the ball down the other end.
90+2 min Chelsea look to play out time, sending the ball to the corner, where Cuthbert and Baltimore protect it well, earning a throw.
90 min Courtney Sweetman-Kirk gives Lauren James player of the match and I can’t argue with that. We’ll have eight additional minutes.
90 min Chelsea are nearly there, but Villa have given them a serious shock.
88 min And here she is now, inverting and slipping a ball in behind for Kerr who, unable to cut inside, pokes a snap=shot which D’Angleo turns behind.
87 min Sandy Baltimore has made a really big difference since coming on. Given Chelsea have a two-goal deficit to retrieve, I’d start her at left-back in midweek and see what she can create – her ability to go both ways unbalances defences.
85 min Prior to the moment of quality that brought about the goal, Chelsea were causing trouble by putting balls into the box, but weren’t creating chances. I thought the goal might come, but the one they crafted was a thing of beauty out of keeping with the rest of the half.
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83 min But Villa immediately set Salmon away down the left, she cuts infield on a diagonal towards goal … and lashes into the near-post side-netting.
GOAL! Chelsea 4-3 Aston Villa (Nusken 82)
Carpenter dashes into a tackle and plays into Kerr, quiet hitherto, but who, back to goal, bounces a pass into Nusken’s stride, inviting her to measure a dipping curler into the bottom corner from 20 yards! That is a goal good enough to win a game this good.
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82 min What a treat a draw would be for Manchester United BUT EXCUSE ME WHILE I INTERRUPT MYSELF!
80 min Baltimore feeds Charles down the line and the eventuating cross is a goodun, but Villa do just enough to take the ball away from Kerr and mates. it comes back, though, then again, James’ deflected cross eventually humped clear.
78 min Yup, a clearly disappointed Roebuck departs, her right knee jiggered and D’Angelo replacing her. She’ll have to settle quickly.
76 min Roebuck looks to have hurt her leg, accept treatment, and this might be her done.
76 min I guess we see this sometimes: goals in the first half, then a quiet second. That’s testament to Villa, really, who’ve kept Chelsea at arm’s length, hitting the bar themselves.
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74 min Grant goes down so takes treatment; Villa will welcome the breather.
73 min Baltimore is now playing on the left wing, with James on the right and Charles at left-back. Villa are struggling to get out now.
73 min Change for Chelsea, the returning Niamh Charles replacing Thompson, who played well in the first half but less so in the second.
72 min The splendidly-named Oona Siren has just scored an absolute banger, volleying in from the edge of the box, Paul Scholes-style, to give West Ham an equaliser against London City.
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70 min Here, though, comes Thompson again, latching on to a pass in behind and she’s in! But as she looks to round the keeper, Roebuck extends an arm to tip the all away.
69 min Baltimore brings a lovely balance and she chops on to her left foot, totally fooling Grant, then crosses, and Kerr ducks underneath it, but Thompson can’t convert.
68 min Villa send on Hijikata, just returned from Japan’s victorious Asia Cup campaign, for Taylor.
67 min Again, Carpenter crosses from the right, Kerr leaping into a challenge as she looks to turn inside the near post … but she cannot.
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66 min Villa are looking to take the sting out of things now, a point within their grasp.
65 min Chelsea have moved the ball pretty well today but, in the second half haven’t really looked like scoring. Carpenter, though, goes down the right, crosses … and Villa clear.
63 min Baltimore has given Chelsea a bit of attacking impetus, but a misplaced pass allows Villa to move forward and find Hanson, 20 yards out, near the right corner of the box, Wilms’ run taking a defender away. So Hanson has a look, then unfurls a gorgeous curler that looks headed for the top corner … only to clatter the angle! What an effort that was; what a player this is!
61 min Chelsea win a corner which Taylor clears and, as time elapses, Manchester United and Arsenal, their rivals for a Champions League spot, will be paying close attention.
59 min Chelsea are dominating now and Hanson, having been buffeted all afternoon, looks like she’s slowed down. But Villa remain a threat on the counter.
56 min Baltimore has gone to left-back and, as I type, she plays a low pass into the box which Kerr reaches ahead of Roebuck – though I don’t think it was for her – nicking it away and wearing the inevitable out-cleaning. That’s got to be a penalty … but no, the flag goes up for offside.
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55 min Bronze leaves one on Hanson, a body to the midriff and perhaps the only time she’s got close to her all afternoon.
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54 min Changes for Chelsea: Cuthbert for Girma and Baltimore for Kaptein.
53 min James finds Nusken then gets on her bike, racing down the left to receive the return, but her clipped low cross is cleared. Chelsea need to get her on the ball at every opportunity, because Villa can’t handle her.
51 min Buurman diddles Wilms once then twice – it’s almost cruel, the defender left scrabbling about on the grass – but her cut-back goes astray and Villa clear.
50 min Bronze heads away at the near post and, on the edge, Taylor misses her shot, then Wilms, who bagged three first-half assists, curls in a cross that has Hampton scrambling, the ball drifting past the far post, just.
49 min I’m not sure I’d want her at centre-forward, but would love to see what she can do as an attacking midfielder – her ability to beat players in the middle of the pitch and shoot from distance is an outrage. Meantime, though, Villa win a corner which Hampton punches behind for another, from under the bar.
48 min Again, Chelsea move the ball nicely, and I wonder if, in time, Lauren James will move to a central position – she’s kust too good to be restricted to the flank.
46 min This is the first time both sides have scored thrice in the first half of a WSL match; if Chelsea don’t win today, their almost non-existent chances of retaining their title will be mathematically over.
46 min We go again…
Half-time reading:
HALF-TIME: Chelsea 3-3 Aston Villa
A fantastic half, Villa starting well and coming back well, with Chelsea dominating in between times. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
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45+2 min Again, James hoves across the face of the box from left to centre, leathering a shot that Deslandes wears in the midriff before folding; it looks evil. She won’t mind, though, because without her intervention, that was 4-3.
45 min We’ll enjoy three additional minutes. This has been – and still is – one of the funnest halves I’ve seen this season.
44 min Pre-match, I wondered if Villa might get some joy out of Buurman, but it’s actually Bronze who’s been caught for two of their goals. She’s struggling with Hansen’s pace and movement – something she has in common with many WSL defenders.
43 min Since Villa’s second goal, Chelsea haven’t been able to take back the total control they had prior to it. I sense that, at half-time, Bompastor will be sharing some sentiments with them.
42 min Chelsea win a corner and Nusken returns; James sends another nasty delivery flat and into the middle, but Nusken can’t get the connection she’s after.
40 min Nusken treads on the ball and goes down, but is soon up and limping off; I think she’ll be OK to continue. That second Chelsea goal, by the way, is Girma’s first in the WSL; no wonder she was so eager to claim it.
38 min This game could finish with almost any score, and Arsenal will be watching it with interest. On the one hand, they’ll know that the way James is playing, their Champions League tie is far from over, but the way Chelsea are defending, they’ll fancy their chances of adding to the three goals they scored last week.
37 min The second Chelsea goal has been credited to Girma; I think that’s the correct call.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-3 Aston Villa (Hanson 35)
OH MY DAYS! Nightswonger does well down the left and when the ball comes into the middle, Wilms, now infield, bumps it off her thigh into Hanson’s path, and the finish is again deadly, swept inside the near post with very little backlift. That’s 12 league goals for the season now, and we might well be watching one of its best games.
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35 min Now it’s Villa moving the ball as they seek an equaliser…
33 min You can only credit Villa, who started superbly, spent the next half-hour suffering, then found a way of hauling themselves back into the game. They’ve got some serious speed and precision on the counter – their two opportunities have been crafted and finished with a complete absence of ruth.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-2 Aston Villa (Hanson 32)
Now then! Again, Villa send it wide to Wilms, again her low cross is perfect, and this time, Hanson runs off Bronze to punch home a finish fro close range. What a game this is!
29 min Villa look shellshocked – these Chelsea goals have come far too easily but, on the other hand, pressure takes a toll.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Aston Villa (James 27)
LAUREN JAMES, THOUGH, WHAT A PLAYER! She collects a big switch and immediately veers infield, away from Hanson before, from 20 yards, dragging a low, fizzing shot inside the near post. She’s enjoying herself, and if that continues, this’ll get messy.
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26 min Lauren James, though, what a player. Everything she does looks so natural – I can’t think of many players who combine pace, power, skill, invention and intelligence, though of course her brother is another.
25 min Girma celebrated like she was sure she’d scored, and replays are inconclusive, but I think she imparts a fine glance. Chelsea have responded really well to going behind.
GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa (Girma 23)
Chelsea hace been playing for this. Again, the corner goes short, James to Thompson, again a return-pass finds the maestro on the corner of the box, and this time, her delivery is poifect, curling in; Roebuck can’t move in case someone gets a touch and though Girma does, even if she hadn’t, the ball would still have gone in.
22 min Elsewhere, London City lead West Ham 1-0; back with our game, Thompson, who’s started the game well, wins Chelsea another corner.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa (Kerr 20)
It was coming. A pass into midfield and Nusken, allowed to turn far too easily, slides Kerr in behind. Running from centre to left, Roebuck assumes, with good reason, that the shot is going back across goal, so plants feet ready to dive, and when the effort is directed towards the near post, can’t react quickly enough to keep it out; all she can do is palm into the net.
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19 min Chelsea are playing pretty well now; I very much doubt this match ends 0-1. Which isn’t to say Villa won’t win it, just that it’ll probably take another goal, at least.
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18 min This time, James stick the corner into the box and Nusken’s up … but her header flashes wide.
17 min Lovely from James, slowing down Wilms then ducking inside, the defender with no option but to fall over. She then feeds Nusken inside her, Roebuck tipping the shot around the post.
17 min Chelsea’s press is dominating the game now, but Villa’s goal dominates the scoreboard.
16 min Again, it goes short, James to Thompson back to James, who shoots from the corner of the box … and straight at Roebuck.
15 min Chelsea are swarming Villa now, Taylor heading behind to concede a corner when under nae pressure.
13 min But now Bornze turns up on the left wing, crossing … and Kaptein only just fails to apply brow to ball, Thompson also unable to catch up with it. Chelsea, though, maintain pressure, winning a corner; it goes short then back to James, whose shot is saved by Roebuck easily enough.
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12 min On which point, Hanson almost catches Bronze, chasing a channel-pass; in the event she’s penalised but using her pace as she roams about the forward line looks to be a central plank of Villa’s strategy today.
11 min Chelsea look dangerous down their left, Thompson running in behind and looking to have the legs on Nightswonger. I’d not be surprised to see Walsh dart passes in behind for that purpose.
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10 min Looking at the goal again, I’m not sure Bronze’s pass was a blind one, rather a dreadful one. No doubt the distinction will make her feel much better.
8 min This has been a really entertaining start. Chelsea are threatening now, but Villa look enterprising on the counter and like they believe they can get something out of this.
6 min Pre-match, Arroyo told us she wanted her side to stay in the game early on, but they’ve done plenty more than that. But Chelsea are awake now, Thompson running off Nightswonger, and collecting a pass into stride before crossing; in the middle, Patten does just enough to lever Kerr out of it before, backing up from the left, James again shoots wide.
5 min Back come Chelsea, Walsh having a shot blocked, then James fires wide.
4 min Chelsea have plenty of time to get that goal back, but Bompastor will be concerned by so lackadaisical a start.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Aston Villa (Grant 2)
Oh my days! Bronze plays a blind, casual square-pass and Grant, in the no 10 position, collects possession and spreads right to Wilms. Her cross, low to the near post, is on-point, and Grant, goal-side and running off Girma, dashes to meet it, lifting a fine finish over Hampton. What a start!
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1 min Chelsea look to bait Villa into pressing, knocking the ball about the back four as they settle into rhytnm.
1 min Chelsea get us under way.
Chelsea look nice and relaxed in the huddle, plenty of laughter as Walsh gets them going. We’re ready.
Our teams are tunnelled, and here they come. This is Chelsea’s final home league game of the season.
These two teams have met 11 times in the WSL; Chelsea have won them all.
It really is too long since we saw Kerr and James together. If they’re at it today, I’m not sure what Villa can do about it.
Chelsea will know that, if they stop Hanson – only Khadija Shaw has scored more than her 10 league goals this season – they probably stop Villa. I’d not be surprised to see her drift wide and see if she can get at the inexperienced Buurman.
Bompastor tells Skywanted to find the strongest starting XI and Kerr, as the only no 9 in the squad, had to be involved.
Natalia Arroyo knows her team face a difficult task, Chelsea probably angry after their midweek tousing, so in the first instance she wants Villa to stay in the game, then fight hard.
Villa, meantime, will look to keep a low block, I expect, with Chastity Grant and Lucia Kendal breaking quickly and seeking to create for Kirsty Hanson. Villa currently sit eighth in the table, but will see sixth as still within reach.
So where is the game? Chelsea will look to play into Kerr and, if they can, get her turned and running either in behind or with the ball. while James wanders off the left in support. To make that happen, they’ll use Keira Walsh to control the pace of the game, with Kaptein and Nusken in particular bombing on.
The big news, though, is the return of Kerr. A side that has her and Lauren James in it can do anything to anyone, but how quickly can they gel?
This is a relatively young Chelsea XI – Veerla Buurman is 19, Wieke Kaptein 19 and Alyssa Thompson 21. I’m really looking forward to seeing how they get on as Bompastor looks to refresh the club, and if any of them do well enough to earn a midweek start when Arsenal visit.
Also going on:
Villa won last weekend for the first time since Brighton since beating Brighton on 11 January; they make one change, Lucy Parker dropping out with Océane Deslandes coming in.
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Changes for Chelsea: out go Kadeisha Buchannan, Erin Cuthbert and Sandy Baltimore; in come Wieke Kaptein along with the returnees, Ellie Carpenter, starting after sitting on the bench in midweek, and Sam Kerr.
Teams!
Chelsea (4-3-3): Hampton; Carpenter, Girma, Bronze, Buurman; Walsh, Nusken, Kaptein; Thompson, Kerr, James. Subs: Peng, Spencer, Buchanan, Baltimore, Charles, Potter, Cuthbert, Shooter, Sarwie.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Roebuck; Wilms, Patten, Deslandes, Nightswonger; Jean-Francois, Taylor; Grant, Maritz, Kendall; Hanson. Subs: D’Anglelo, Maltby, Scott, Seymour, Lea, Hijikata, Salmon.
Referee: Callum Jones (Bootle)
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Preamble
A legendary manager leaves a club and success continues: we saw it for half a generation after Chelsea sacked José Mourinho and for a season after Emma Hayes moved on, similarly so at Liverpool following the resignation of Jürgen Klopp. To what extent, though, was that down to processes so effective and inculcated that they outlasted the departed, versus the impetus of new ideas from the new incumbent? For Sonia Bompastor, the pressure is on.
Yesterday’s thumping derby win means Manchester City need a maximum of five points from thee games to regain the WSL crown; Chelsea, who last season won an undefeated domestic treble, were barely ever in the race. They did retain the League Cup, are still in the FA Cup – and the Champions League, just about – but another season like this one won’t be good enough for a club used to better.
Disappointment has many mothers, and Chelsea come into this afternoon’s game without Nathalie Björn, Myra Ramírez, Niamh Charles and Millie Bright, while Aggie Beever-Jones might still be absent too. On the other hand, though, Sam Kerr and Ellie Carpenter are available for a match the importance of which is far greater than itself.
Most pressingly, on Wednesday night Chelsea meet Arsenal in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final, trailing the defending champions – and what a painful phrase that is for a side yet to win the thing – 3-1. A good performance today will give them momentum as they prepare for a task that is difficult but not impossible.
But this contest is about next season as well as this. Though currently, Chelsea sit fourth in the WSL, a win today takes them second and into the Champions League spots – two points ahead of Manchester United, who they host in the final round of games. Or, in other words, the title may not be at stake, but there’s still a helluva lot going on here.
Kick-off: 12pm BST, baby
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