Thank you for joining me for this match. Chelsea squeak past an impressive Celtic to keep their running streak going to nine match this season across all competitions. To rehash the action have a read of the report below. We will be back next week with more Women’s Champions League action, as well as WSL coverage this weekend. Bye for now.
A slice of history:
Two female managers on a Champions League touchline. 😮💨
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) November 13, 2024
First to win the #UWCL as a player and manager meets the youngest manager to take a team to the group stage. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/fmQla6X77Y
Celtic were impressive this evening and if they had turned in that Ashworth-Clifford chance the points may have shared this evening.
In the other 8pm GMT kick-off Lyon have beaten Roma 3-0.
The first yellow card for Beever-Jones was bizarre and even she looked confused by her receiving it. But the second was for that late challenge and so a red was shown. Late drama.
Beever-Jones had a late challenge right at the end which means she will miss the reverse fixture of this tie next week.
Full time: Celtic 1-2 Chelsea
Despite both sides having chances in the second half, the score remains unchanged from half-time and so Chelsea make it nine wins from nine across all competitions this season. They top Group B in the Women’s Champions League, while Celtic remain bottom.
Updated
RED CARD! Celtic 1-2 Chelsea (Beever-Jones, 90 + 4)
It’s a second yellow for the Chelsea player.
Updated
90 + 3 min: Celtic make a change with Ashworth-Clifford off for McAneny.
90 + 1 min: Bronze is down here and is receiving treatment, I think she is okay. Yeah she is back to her feet but she isn’t happy she wasn’t given anything as it was a brutal challenge. There will be four minutes added.
89 min: Lawton gets a yellow card for a foul on Reiten and so Chelsea have a free kick in a good position. Macario and Reiten stand over it but it is the USA international who takes it. Her delivery was poor as it goes straight out of play.
87 min: Celtic do look the more likely to score at the moment and so it is no wonder Chelsea are taking time to run the ball through their backline to run down some of the clock. They do eventually unleash an attack with Kaneryd getting a shot away but Daugherty easily saves.
85 min: Ashworth-Clifford has a fantastic ball forward, it isn’t worked well enough to create a chance yet but they keep coming. However, they then see it out and so Chelsea have a throw in to clear their lines.
83 min: Beever-Jones is okay to continue, though she keeps touching her face. It looked as though she attempted to head the ball but instead hit another head. Celtic are off here and Noonan takes a ount at goal but Musovic saves, Beever-Jones then looks so confused as she is shown a yellow card – it’s not clear why.
81 min: What a save from Daugherty, I thought Chelsea were in there. A great cross in from Reiten saw Kaneryd and Jean-Francios combine but the keeper is a safe pair of hands. Beever-Jones is down in the area now, it looks like she hit her head, she is receiving treatment.
80 min: Chelsea settling down now as the Celtic momentum dies down slightly, the Blues are running the ball through the team in some patient buld-up. Kaneryd is found in the box but Clark muscles her off the ball and clears.
78 min: Some of the play at the back from Chelsea has been really risky, a back pass from Bronze just now was so loose and it left Musovic so vulnerable. The keeper managed to control but this performance has not been a clean one from the visitors.
76 min: Reiten is ruled offside again, twice so far from the replacement. Celtic have another chance with Ashworth-Clifford but Musovic collects her cross.
74 min: I held my breath there, Celtic were so close. Ashworth-Clifford made a great run and crossed in a good ball which beat Musovic but no one was there to tap it home. That was the chance.
72 min: Chelsea continue to rain down chances on the Celtic goal but somehow the hosts are keeping them out. The latest comes from Bjorn which is straight over the bar.
70 min: Chelsea again weaving into the box and it’s Macario who takes a shot but it’s wide. Barclais is winded and she needs some treatment. During that Celtic make a change with Ross, Gallacher and Agnewoff for Cavanagh, Noonan and Cross. Barclais is okay to continue.
Updated
68 min: Celtic push Chelsea back to their halfway line but they do work it back into the box, a shot comes in but Daugherty blocks and then it’s cleared.
67 min: The delivery was good and Musovic punches clear. Ashworth-Clifford sends it back in but it has too much on it and it’s out for a goal kick. A good spell for Celtic.
65 min: A period of some scrappy play has ensued but Celtic have done really well defensively to prevent Chelsea from scoring in this half. They are throwing everything at them. And here they go on a good attack, Ashworth-Clifford sent a ball in but Perisset clears, almost turning it into her own goal. Corner to come.
63 min: Reiten was down for a prolonged period there but she doesn’t need treatment and is back to her feet.
61 min: Kaneryd sent a beautiful ball in but it bounces between her teammates and so comes to nothing. Celtic make a change with Hayes off for Bruna Costa.
59 min: Manchester City will also be watching this game with a keen eye as they play Chelsea this weekend in the WSL. They will feel encouraged by how exposed Chelsea are on the counter, even with the new players on the pitch it feels like a real weakness. Chelsea make another change with Macario on for Hamano.
57 min: Reiten is pinged for offside as Chelsea set up yet another attack. It feels a question of when not if Chelsea will score again.
55 min: Celtic’s performance is an improvement on their other games they have played so far in this competition, if they play like this in their final matches they could manage to sneak through. Though, admittedly, it would be tricky.
53 min: Chelsea are like a wasp in the summer when you have a sweet snack or drink, they won’t leave you alone and will just keep buzzing. They get into the box again but Reiten’s effort is over the bar.
51 min: McGregor again being a stonewall in defence, she has been Celtic’s standout player this evening. Chelsea do eventually work it into the box but it is repelled and out for a throw in. The visitors start yet another attack and it ends with a corner. It’s taken short but eventually sent goalward a goalline clearance from McGregor.
49 min: If you are wondering who the Chelsea captain is now Cuthebert is off, it is Reiten. Some back and forth from both teams but no chances to note.
47 min: Chelsea start the second half well with some play around the box but the final pass can’t be found for now.
Back underway! Celtic 1-2 Chelsea
So can Celtic restore their lead? Or will Chelsea see this out? All to come. It looks like Reiten, Kaneryd and Bronze are all ready to come on, not bad subs to use are they. Baltimore, Cuthbert and Lawrence are all off.
Updated
In the other 8pm GMT kick-off Lyon are beating Roma 2-0 thanks to two goals by Melchie Dumornay.
Updated
The goals from the game so far:
🍀 THE GHIRLS ARE WRITING HISTORY!
— DAZN Women's Football (@DAZNWFootball) November 13, 2024
Murphy Agnew keeps her composure to give Celtic the lead against Chelsea.
Watch live for free on DAZN ▶️ https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv #UWCLonDAZN #UWCL pic.twitter.com/pGRetPANS3
🔵 Maika Hamano gets the Blues level in Glasgow!
— DAZN Women's Football (@DAZNWFootball) November 13, 2024
Watch live for free on DAZN ▶️ https://t.co/dIfKpURNP3 #UWCLonDAZN #UWCL pic.twitter.com/prhuGJtFWb
💪 Chelsea's persistance sees them turn it around, as Ashley Lawrence rattles the net!
— DAZN Women's Football (@DAZNWFootball) November 13, 2024
Watch live for free on DAZN ▶️ https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv #UWCLonDAZN #UWCL pic.twitter.com/tq391PZkeO
Half-time: Celtic 1-2 Chelsea
Celtic broke the deadlock with a fantastic counterattack goal from Agnew but Chelsea immediately responded with two goals from Hamano and Lawrence. Chelsea, overall, have looked the better team but Celtic have proved they can strike at any time. All to play for.
45 + 1 min: There will be three minutes added.
45 min: Ashworth-Clifford takes a shot with no support and Musovic easily collects.
44 min: Chelsea again with a lot of the ball, it’s put into the box and it pinballs almost to Beever-Jones’ feet but Daugherty collects.
42 min: The corner is taken short, it comes into the box and to Cuthbert who sends it over the bar. The Chelsea captain wants another corner but it is ruled an goal kick.
41 min: Agnew is hobbling slightly but she isn’t calling for treatment and so we play on. Chelsea then win a corner after a Baltimore shot is deflected out.
39 min: Chelsea have had a long time on the ball and it ends with Cuthbert taking a shot but Daugherty easily collects.
37 min: Chelsea win yet another corner, which has not proved to be a great part of their game this evening, and Baltimore takes it once again. She sends it in but it is well handled by Lawton.
36 min: Are Chelsea going to be in for their third here? Not yet. Hamano sees it in but it’s easily cleared. They come again but Cuthbert’s effort is saved by Daugherty.
34 min: My word, I was writing about an almost chance for Celtic and then Chelsea score. Agnew almost beat Musovic but Chelsea worked it quickly, peppering the goal with chances until Lawrence turned it home.
Updated
GOAL! Celtic 1-2 Chelsea (Lawrence, 32)
Chelsea are ahead.
32 min: That will be frustrating for Celtic as they did have all the momentum. Chelsea are on the hunt for a second with a long ball from Lawrence into the box but no one is there to pick it up.
30 min: Beever-Jones works it into the box and finds Hamano, who is unmarked. Hamano immediately goes into the goal to retrieve the ball, showing Chelsea’s intent tonight.
Updated
GOAL! Celtic 1-1 Chelsea (Hamano, 28)
Chelsea respond.
28 min: The delivery is good but a foul on Musovic sees Chelseable to clear.
27 min: Chelsea have yet another corner and this time Baltimore is the taker. She sends it in but it’s headed clear. Celtic look to counter but Chelsea do well to thwart the attack but eventually Celtic get it into the box and they win a corner. Chelsea slightly shaken here.
25 min: Well who would have predicted this? Chelsea were so vulnerable on the counter and Celtic absolutely carved them open. Celtic manager Sadiku went crazy in celebration, what a moment for Agnew.
24 min: It all started with McGregor on the counter, she fed a lovely ball to Agnew and Musovic wasn’t set. Game on, the ground is bouncing.
Updated
GOAL! Celtic 1-0 Chelsea (Agnew, 22')
HUGE!
Updated
22 min: Baltimore is playing some beautiful football out there tonight, she keeps getting it into the box from impossible positions but none of her teammates have turned it goalward yet. But the French international is a huge threat so far.
20 min: Celtic are a tricky team to breakdown and McGregor is making Chelsea’s life that much harder so far, she has been great for the hosts.
18 min: Daugherty is okay to continue, maybe a tactical break there but of course we will never know for sure.
17 min: Celtic only have a few passes before Chelsea win it back. Daugherty is down injured at the moment, she is receiving treatment.
16 min: Cuthbert wins a free kick from a foul by Ross. Hamano takes it short to Lawrence but she can’t even get it in the box before Celtic are all over it. Chelsea need to sort their set pieces out.
Updated
14 min: There is a lot of patient build-up play for Chelsea but their final moves on plays just aren’t coming together at the momet, thanks in part to some good Celtic defence.
12 min: Baltimore passes a beautiful ball ti Kaptein but McGregor puts in a well-timed tackle to send it out for a corner. Chelsea use the same set piece play and again it doesn’t work, the Blues need to rethink if they get another in this match, which seems likely.
10 min: Smith is okay to continue and so we resume with the corner. Hamano takes it short and Baltimore sends it in but it’s easily cleared.
9 min: Chelsea have another corner with McGregor putting it out of play but before the set piece is taken Smith needs some treatment, it looks to be a calf issue.
8 min: Kaptein wins the ball back in a good place and she fires a shot but Daugherty saves easily.
7 min: A lot of play in their own half from Celtic. they are finding it tricky to get out of their own half at the moment. Possession exchanging hands quite frequently also as both settle into this one.
5 min: The atmosphere in the Celtic Park is incredible. There must be at least 15,000in this evening.
4 min: Baltimore has a lovely ball inside and a few passes later it comes to Cuthbert but Lawton heads out for a corner. Hamano takes it short and Baltimore sees it in but Bjorn heads over the bar.
Updated
2 min: Chelsea have had all the possession so far but Celtic’s defence is aggressive with high press at the moment.
Kick-off! Celtic 0-0 Chelsea
Here we go then. Some huddles delaying kick-off slightly but we are underway now.
There looks to be a good crowd at Celtic Park with a light show to boot before kick-off.
Updated
The players will be out on the pitch shortly. Can Chelsea keep their unbeaten run going? Or will Celtic cause an upset? All to come.
The two earlier kick-offs today have finished up and it has seen Real Madrid beat FC Twente, the two teams in Chelsea and Celtic’s group, 7-0 including two goals from Maria Mendez. While Wolfsburg have beaten Galatasaray 5-0 which saw Rebecka Blomqvist score a hat-trick.
The I’m a Celeb line-up has been announced for this year’s competition and it got me thinking about who would be a good fit from women’s football. Of course Jill Scott won in 2022 but I’d love to know who else you think would do a good job. I think Erin Cuthbert would be a good shout. Email me to get in touch and let me know.
Here are how the other two British clubs in the competition got on yesterday:
Celtic boss Elena Sadiku said: “This experience has taught us that this is just a normal game. The occasion is huge, but we still need to do what we can do which is playing football the way we play. We knew it would be tough, but we are going to learn, we are going to grow and we are going to get stronger as a team from playing here.”
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has said of tonight’s opposition: “We are focusing on ourselves. We have a lot of quality, but of course, we expect them to come and be really motivated and try to make it hard for us.”
The team news is in. Celtic have named a strong side with a fully loaded bench including the Carstens sisters.
Celtic: Daugherty, Barclais, N Ross, Gallacher, Smith, Agnew, McGregor, Clark, Ashford-Clifford, Lawton, Bruna Costa.
Subs: Logan, Rodgers, Richardson, S Carstens, M Carstens, Cavanagh, Cross, Hayes, Noonan, Munoz, McAney
Chelsea, meanwhile, opt for some squad rotations with Zecira Musovic in goal and ERin Cuthbert is captain with Millie Bright not in the squad.
Chelsea: Musovic, Perisset, Bjorn,Mpome, Lawrence, Cuthbert, Kaptein. Jean-Francios, Baltimore, Hamano, Beever-Jones.
Subs: Hampton, Cox, Bronze, Bartel, Reiten, Kaneryd, Macario
Preamble
Hello and welcome back to our coverage of the Women’s Champions League where tonight we will be focusing on Celtic v Chelsea.
Chelsea travel to Scotland as an unbeaten side across all competitions so far this season. They have won every single match they have played under new manager Sonia Bompastor and it will be difficult for Celtic to be the ones to halt their winning run.
Celtic, who are currently fourth in the Scottish Premiership, have not won a game in the WCL yet and sit at the bottom of the group table with no points. A win over Chelsea, though unlikely, would resuscitate their campaign.
We will take a look at what has been said in the build-up to the game shortly but first let’s take a peek at the team news before kick-off at 8pm GMT.
