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Chelsea climbed to the summit of the WSL with a 3-2 victory over a spirited Tottenham at Brisbane Road on Sunday.
Bethany England had netted against her former side to cancel out Jess Carter’s opener, before a stunning Lauren James solo effort and a cool Guro Reiten finish gave the Blues a two-goal buffer. Nikola Karczewska netted late on to set up a grandstand finish, but Chelsea survived the late fightback to secure all three points.
Chelsea started the game on the front foot as Tottenham struggled to get out of their own half and played themselves into trouble when attempting to pass out from the back. Only a superb last ditch Amy Turner tackle could prevent Guro Reiten from giving the Blues the lead.
From the resulting corner short, Chelsea opened the scoring. The Blues played it short, Erin Cuthbert crossed for Carter, who glanced home.
Following a sluggish start, Spurs grew into the game, and saw a lot of joy when pressuring Chelsea high up the pitch. Kadeisha Buchanan was robbed by Ashleigh Neville deep in the Chelsea half, the Spurs winger played a clever pass in behind to Drew Spence, and her teasing ball across the face of goal was stroked home by fellow former Chelsea employee England.
Spurs were buoyed by their equaliser and enjoyed a spell of pressure inside the Blues half, looking dangerous when on the counter and whenever they were able to get bodies forward quickly. Neville was cleverly played in behind by Mana Iwabuchi but couldn’t sort her feet out, before Iwabuchi saw a shot blocked.
But the hosts were unable to capitalise on their spell in the ascendency, and were emphatically punished by a piece of Lauren James magic. The Chelsea winger cut inside from the right, weaved through a series of Spurs bodies and found the bottom corner.
Spence fired narrowly over from range just after the hour, as a competitive opening 15 minutes of the second half with few clear cut chances unfolded.
Moments later, Chelsea doubled their advantage. Celin Bizet failed to deal with a bouncing ball on the half way line, Reiten stole in, raced through on goal and finished coolly.
Spurs pulled one back through substitute Karczewska’s low, close range finish in the 89th minute to set up an exciting finale.
Tinja-Riikka Korpela produced a magnificent reflex save to keep out Fran Kirby as the clock ticked down, as Chelsea survived the Spurs fightback and ensured they would finish the weekend top of the WSL.
GK: Tinja-Riikka Korpela – 5/10 – Played Tottenham into trouble in the build up to Chelsea’s opener and caused a few problems when attempting to play out from the back. Otherwise couldn’t do a great deal about Chelsea’s three goals. Made a great reflex save to keep out Kirby in the latter stages.
CB: Amy Turner – 6/10 – Produced a huge, last ditch sliding tackle to keep out Reiten in the first half. Pretty solid, before being replaced with 12 remaining.
CB: Molly Bartrip – 7/10 – Made an important intervention to keep out a dangerous James cross in the second half. Popped up with numerous important headers and interceptions, and largely strong playing out from the back.
CB: Shelina Zadorsky – 6/10 – Made a vital interception to prevent a potentially dangerous Chelsea break away in the second half. Had a few problems with James on the Chelsea right as Tottenham’s left entre back.
RWB: Celin Bizet – 5/10 – At fault for Chelsea’s third, failing to deal with a bouncing ball on the half way line and enabling Reiten to steal in. Rarely on the ball high up the pitch, limiting her attacking impact.
CM: Eveliina Summanen – 7/10 – Couldn’t get close enough to James in the build up to Chelsea’s second. Drove Tottenham forward and efficient in possession.
CM: Drew Spence – 7/10 – Seemed to lose track of Carter in the build up to Chelsea’s opener. Set up England for her side’s equaliser with a teasing ball across the face of goal, having done really well to work herself a yard to send the ball in. Flashed over from range in the second half, and always looked a threat.
LWB: Kerys Harrop – 5/10 – Dived in to allow James to cut inside in the build up to Chelsea’s second and had another tough time up against the young winger.
RW: Ashleigh Neville – 6/10 – Instrumental in Tottenham’s equaliser; robbed Buchanan, before sending Spence in behind with a smart pass with the outside of her foot. Otherwise drifted in and out of proceedings.
ST: Bethany England – 7/10 – Levelled the scores against her former club with a classic, instinctive England finish; sniffing out the opportunity and arriving in the right place at the right time to stroke into an empty net.
LW: Mana Iwabuchi – 6/10 – Smartly picked out Neville and saw a shot blocked in a promising first half Spurs move. Clever on the ball and looked dangerous, but not quite able to have a telling impact on proceedings.
Substitutes
SUB: Nikola Karczewska (78′ for Turner) – 6/10 – On the scoresheet with a cool finish late on.
SUB: Angharad James (87′ for Iwabuchi) N/A
SUB: Rosella Ayane (87′ for Bizet) – N/A
GK: Zecira Musovic – 6/10 – Couldn’t do much about the Spurs goal, and otherwise didn’t really have a save to make. Strong playing out from the back.
RB: Niamh Charles – 6/10 – Didn’t maraud forward as frequently as usual, but combined well with James and did a pretty solid defensive job on Neville.
CB: Millie Bright – 7/10 – As solid as ever, largely keeping Spurs at bay.
CB: Kadeisha Buchanan – 5/10 – Conceded possession deep in her own half with a heavy touch in the build up to Tottenham’s equaliser. Looked a little shaky bringing the ball out from the back at times.
LB: Jess Carter – 7/10 – Headed Chelsea into the lead from a corner, rising highest and powering into the top corner. Had a real battle with Iwabuchi, particularly in the first half.
CM: Sophie Ingle – 7/10 – Cut out a few potentially dangerous Spurs crosses and neat and tidy in possession. Set up Chelsea’s second, feeding James on the right.
CM: Erin Cuthbert – 7/10 – Provided a fabulous delivery from a short corner to set up Chelsea’s opener. Tenacious, flying into tackles. Replaced with 15 remaining.
CM: Jessie Fleming – 6/10 – Typically energetic, involved in a couple of positive Chelsea moves, before being replaced after an hour.
RW: Lauren James – 8/10 – Netted Chelsea’s second with a piece of individual genius, cutting inside and slaloming past a series of challenges before firing low into the bottom corner.
ST: Sam Kerr – 6/10 – Dragged a first half effort wide after working the opportunity for herself. Provided some great facials following James’s wonder goal. Full of running but never had a clear sighting of goal. Replaced with 15 remaining.
LW: Guro Reiten – 8/10 – A constant threat with her willingness to drive at the Spurs backline and her teasing deliveries. On the scoresheet in the second half, winning possession back on the half way line, racing through and showing all the composure in the world to find the bottom corner.
Substitutes
SUB: Fran Kirby (62′ for Fleming) – 6/10
SUB: Eve Perisset (62′ for Charles) – 6/10
SUB: Jelana Cankovic (75′ for Cutbert) – 6/10
SUB: Melanie Leupolz (75′ for Kerr) – 6/10
SUB: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (81′ for Reiten) – 6/10
