Chelsea continued their perfect start to the season with a 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Sonia Bompastor’s side got off to a flying start when Mayra Ramirez struck early with a clever flick over her head to give Chelsea the lead, before Sandy Baltimore added a second.
Caitlin Foord replied for Arsenal before half-time with a stunning solo goal, but it was not enough as Chelsea held on for a fourth successive victory, to pile more pressure on Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall.
Arsenal slump to new low to leave Jonas Eidevall facing the reality
Perhaps the most damaging feeling in football is not anger but apathy. At the Emirates, Arsenal have led the way with their ambition in the Women’s Super League. Their average attendance is by far the largest in the division and on the days where a sold-out stadium rocks and the home side plays with a swagger and confidence, they can seem an inevitable force.
But under Jonas Eidevall, Arsenal’s performances on the pitch look a long way from matching their momentum off of it. A 2-1 defeat to Chelsea leaves the Gunners with five points from their first four games. Four behind Chelsea, who have a game in hand, Arsenal’s dismal start may rule them out of the title race even at this early stage, in a season where they needed to challenge after Emma Hayes’s departure. “We have winning ambitions,” Eidevall conceded. “There’s no point hiding away from reality. It’s a poor start to the season.”
Arsenal slump to new low to leave Jonas Eidevall facing the reality
Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea: Defeat at the Emirates increased the pressure on Eidevall as Sonia Bompastor continued her winning start
FT: Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
Chelsea captain Millie Bright is first to speak to BBC One, and she emphasises how Chelsea “knew it was going to be a tough game”.
“It’s two top teams coming into battle. But as a team we’ve got that fight and are still capable of creating chances at the end.
“The style of play, we want to possess the ball and be brave. Coming to stadiums like these against top teams, we wanted to be brave and come away with three points,” she adds.
On Mayra Ramirez, she says: “She’s capable of carrying the ball, few defenders take it off her. I witness that every day in training.
“She’s extremely difficult to tackle and she gets us up the pitch especially against that low block.”
On her side’s winning mentality, she adds that “it’s a part of who we are”.
“As a new player you know what you have to do to get into the team and stay in the team. We have that monster mentality. It’s become part of our environment.”
FT: Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
Ex-England international Ellen White is part of the punditry team on BBC, and she says that “there are a lot of positives that Arsenal can take” from today.
“They showed a lot of heart and desire and controlled most of that second half, but again it is them not being clinical enough,” she adds.
“They are not taking their chances. Chelsea defended really well and held on, Millie Bright made some great blocks.
“But there will be disappointment and frustration that they couldn’t at least get a point.”
FULL-TIME! Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
The referee blows the whistle and Chelsea maintain their 100 per cent record at the start of the new WSL season!
Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
95 mins
Arsenal look to counter quickly and Stina Blackstenius wins a corner.
Lucy Bronze heads the corner clear and Chelsea counter, led by Lawrence, and they look like they’ll see this one out.
Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
94 mins
Beever-Jones runs clean through and can wrap it up, but she fires a low shot straight at van Domselaar!
Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
93 mins
Williamson dispossesses Macario and Arsenal flood forward again, but Russo is penalised for dragging back Lawrence.
Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea
91 mins
McCabe swings in an effort that is easily headed away, but it falls straight to Russo who connects perfectly with a volley and stings the palms of Hampton.
