Chelsea Women 0 – 0 Arsenal Women
Neither Chelsea nor Arsenal were able to strike a telling blow in the Women’s Super League title race as they played out an entertaining 0-0 draw at Kingsmeadow.
Chelsea went into the game knowing a victory would take them one point above Arsenal at the top of the WSL table – with a game in hand – but instead the Gunners remain two points clear.
Jonas Eidevall’s side had the upper hand for most of the first half and could have taken the lead when Vivianne Miedema struck the post after Rafaelle Souza had nodded down Steph Catley’s long ball into the box.
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Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema rattles the post with right-footed volley inside the box.
The Netherlands international had begun to control the game for Arsenal and flashed a rasping left-footed drive over Ann-Katrin Berger’s crossbar.
Stina Blackstenius then missed a good opportunity to mark her first WSL start with a goal when she miscued her header from Catley’s cross, despite Chelsea’s defenders affording her the freedom of the penalty area.
And the Blues nearly made their visitors pay for those spurned opportunities towards the end of the half, but were denied an opener when some last-ditch defending by Souza and Catley foiled Pernille Harder and then Sam Kerr.
The reigning WSL champions continued to create – and waste – chances in the second period, with Kerr missing her kick when unmarked in the six-yard box and Guro Reiten shooting straight at Manuela Zinsberger when she should have found the bottom corner from the centre of the area.
Jonna Andersson’s bulleted strike from the edge of the box left Zinsberger rooted to the spot but flew just wide, and Harder almost scored after the goalkeeper and Leah Williamson got in each other’s way when trying to clear Ji So-Yun’s shot.
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Chelsea’s Jonna Andersson almost puts her team ahead with a great effort from range.
But Arsenal came back into the game in the last 20 minutes and were only denied a late goal by some desperate Chelsea defending, with Berger keeping out Frida Maanum’s free-kick before Millie Bright headed Blackstenius’ corner off the line.
Then came the game’s most controversial moment as Niamh Charles’ cross deep into stoppage-time struck the outstretched arm of Williamson, who was perhaps lucky none of the officials deemed the offence worthy of a spot-kick.
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Late drama in the WSL game between Chelsea and Arsenal as a cross seems to strike Arsenal’s Leah Williamson on the arm. No penalty given however.
But ultimately neither side was able to find the goal that would give them the upper hand in a title race that looks like going down to the wire.
What’s next?
The Women’s Super League will now take a weekend off for the international break. Chelsea return to action on Saturday, February 26 when they face Leicester Women in the Women’s FA Cup fifth round. Arsenal will travel to Liverpool Women on Sunday, February 27 in the same competition.
