Sunday saw Liverpool host Chelsea in the stand out fixture of the weekend’s WSL 1 action.
Top of the table Chelsea were under pressure to take all three points back to London following Manchester City’s win earlier in the day, but the Blues did not disappoint – putting in a solid performance both in attack and defence to keep their eyes firmly on the prize of a first ever league title.
It was Liverpool who got the game underway and made a bright start, Hedvig Lindahl making an early save to prevent Line Smorsgard from opening the scoring. But Chelsea soon had their first chance too, Drew Spence firing agonizingly wide in the opening exchanges.
More goalkeeping heroics kept the game at 0-0 early on, this time Liverpool’s Libby Stout palming away Eniola Aluko’s effort. Minutes later the WSL 1 title hopefuls were down to 10 as Niamh Fahey was caught with a flailing elbow and received treatment off the pitch for almost a quarter of an hour. The referee failed to see the incident and the hosts were unable to capitalize on their brief numerical advantage despite going close through Ingrid Ryland and Gemma Bonner who both hit the woodwork.
Lindahl was called in to action once more as she pushed the ball over the crossbar before her teammates, back up to full strength following the return of Fahey, went up the other end and opened the scoring. Ji So-Yun Collecting a pass from Gemma Davison with exquisite control before lashing the ball in to the top corner on the turn.
Full of confidence Emma Hayes’ side doubled their lead before half time, Aluko feeding in Fran Kirby who had the ability to squeeze her shot past both a defender and the keeper.
Chances came and went for both sides after the restart but the crucial third goal of the game was gifted to Chelsea by the former champions as Aluko pounced following some miscommunication from a Liverpool goal kick and was able to slot home her 6th of the season.
Smorsgard then went close for the hosts before skipper Bonner headed over from a corner. A half-hearted penalty shout shortly followed after the ball struck a Chelsea hand in the box but the referee had already blown the whistle for offside against Reds striker Natasha Dowie.
Asisat Oshoala made her first appearance following a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury as she replaced the lively Smorsgard, but Chelsea soon put the game out of reach as Davison drove at pace down the left-hand side to set up Ji for her second goal of the match.
Speaking after the game Davison said her teammates were thriving off the pressure of the title race: “We were solid all over the pitch and I think we’ve done that all season. We’re top of the league and will go into next week feeling confident.
“The mood in the dressing room is amazing. We’re very together. We put the ball in the back of the net four times and we’re deadly in front of goal.”
Chelsea host Sunderland in the final game of the WSL 1 season next Sunday knowing a win will gift them the title.
