Arsenal v Chelsea LIVE: Women’s Super League result and reaction as Gunners shake up title race
Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea: Rampant Gunners put themselves in the hunt for the WSL title with a superb performance in front of record crowd at the Emirates
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo scored twice as her side hammered Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in front of a league-record crowd of 59,042, blowing the title race wide open in the process.
Arsenal forward Beth Mead opened the scoring in the eighth minute, finishing off a dogged attack by keeping a cool head to cut back inside Niamh Charles and fire into the roof of the net with her weaker left foot.
The lead lasted all of five minutes as Chelsea winger Johanna Rytting Kaneryd netted a similar effort to Mead’s, shifting inside Steph Catley to create a bit of space and scoring with a low shot that flew in at the near post.
Rytting Kaneryd’s Sweden international team mate Amanda Ilestedt headed Arsenal back into the lead in the 36th minute, and Russo added a quick-fire third less than two minutes later as Chelsea’s defence floundered.
Blues coach Emma Hayes made a triple change at the break but it made little difference as they continued to struggle to find any fluency in attack. Any hope of a comeback was snuffed out when Ann-Katrin Berger conceded a penalty for a foul on Russo, who scored from the spot in the 74th minute.
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr had a chance to reduce the deficit deep into stoppage time but her header from Fran Kirby’s cross lacked power as Arsenal comfortably held on to win.
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Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
16 mins: Russo fires straight at Berger but the offside flag is up straight away.
Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
15 mins: The home crowd were stunned almost into silence after that strike. It was such a positive start from Arsenal but they now must re-group and go again.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea (Rytting Kaneryd, 13 mins)
Chelsea hit back immediately!
The Blues counter-attack with great speed as Rytting Kaneryd gets the ball out on the right. She’s afforded too much space by Catley to cut in on the right-hand side and her low effort squeaks past Zinsberger at her near post.
Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
9 mins: Arsenal can’t rest on their laurels as Zinsberger is called straight into action to make a smart save as Fleming fires a fierce effort on goal from the edge of the box.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea (Mead, 8 mins)
Arsenal break the deadlock and it’s Mead with the opener!
The home side make their way into the box and the loose ball drops to Pelova. The midfielder uses her body superbly to set Mead up who shows great composure to take it around Berger before firing beyond the Chelsea players on the line and into the roof of the net.
Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea
6 mins: Determined work from Russo up against Carter almost forces her England teammate to give away the ball inside the area. Berger does well, though, to come off her line and snuff out the danger.
Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea
4 mins: The first nice-worked move from Arsenal as they play it from back to front. Little’s nice flick inside almost gives Mead a chance to pull the trigger but Charles recovers well to get the crucial interception.
Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea
A false start but Chelsea now do get us underway as the rain pours down around the players.
Arsenal vs Chelsea
And here come the players now out onto the Emirates pitch. The stands are full and we should be set for a cracker in north London!
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