Chelsea v Liverpool: Women’s Super League – live | Women’s Super League
Key events
17 mins: James looks to dissect the Liverpool defence in order to send Kerr through on goal but Clark intercepts to end the danger.
15 mins: What a couple of minutes we have enjoyed. I suspect both coaches will be calling for their players to settle down.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool (Carter og, 13)
Liverpool go up the other end and equalise. Van de Sanden spins Carter and sprints into the box. It looks like she has taken too much time deciding whether to shoot or cross. She belatedly crosses and it bounces off Carter into the net.
12 mins: Liverpool will not be happy with conceding. They gave the ball away on the halfway and made it all too easy for Chelsea to cut through them.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool (James, 11)
Speaking of … Chelsea counter and the ball reaches James on the left. She drives into the box, shows some nifty footwork to leave the defender for defender before calmly slotting into the corner.
10 mins: Considering the attendance, Stamford Bridge is a little quiet today. It seems like they need the team to give them something to cheer rather than the supporters influencing the players.
8 mins: Bright is sitting behind the Chelsea dugout looking a little unimpressed about being left out but they have a pretty hectic schedule in the coming weeks, so it is understandable that Hayes is rotating.
6 mins: Clark does well to win the ball off James but then kicks it straight out for a throw. Chelsea are certainly looking the livelier in the opening stages.
4 mins: James spots Charles on the overlap down the left. The full-back looks to put in a cross but it is turned behind for the first corner of the match.
The corner reaches James who takes a relatively weak shot but Laws still feels the need to palm the ball away, putting Liverpool in a spot on bother. Thankfully for the goalkeeper, Liverpool manage to clear.
The ball comes straight back at Liverpool. Cuthbert shoots on target but Clark diverts it over for another corner.
2 mins: Beever-Jones takes advantage of Fisk’s poor touch but does not get far as the Liverpool players immediately trips her.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
Matt Beard: “We are pleased with how we have started. We know it is going to be a tough game today. We caused Chelsea problems last year in the three games we played against them. We know they don’t like playing against us and we look forward to causing them problems today.”
Emma Hayes: “My family are devastated – they are Chelsea fans. It is not every day these opportunities come up. It is not necessarily something I thought I would ever do but it is the only job that would take me away from Chelsea.
“Of course I will play a part [in picking my successor]. We have time, we will find the right candidate and you will be extremely happy.
“I feel like I am abandoning my family, I feel I have let them down. Every moment I have to the end will feel special. I have always said I hope to make the Chelsea fans proud. I am not going yet – there is a lot of winning to do this year.”
It is estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 will be inside Stamford Bridge today.
Emma Hayes has been incredibly success at Chelsea Women and her legacy will be the state in which she leaves the club.
Sir Alex Ferguson got on the blower to her this week to have a chat with Hayes and share his experience.
“Anything he says to me I always take with such pride. He is a legend of the game and someone whose opinion I value and he has a love of America,” Hayes said.
“We talked a little bit about that, a little bit about legacy, a little bit about leaving at the top. So there were wise words from him. I’m sure it won’t be the last phone call I get from him this season.”
What next for Chelsea? Karen Carney takes a look.
Suzanne Wrack on Chelsea’s use of Stamford Bridge and how they can help boost attendances.
Starting lineups
Chelsea: Musovic, Ingle, Nusken, Carter, James, Perissset, Mjelde, Kerr, Charles, Cuthbert, Beever-Jones
Subs: Berger, Hampton, Fishel, Nouwen, Lawrence, Kirby, Fleming, Kaneryd, Buchanan
Liverpool: Laws, Koivisto, Clark, Bonner, Fisk, Hinds, Hobinger, Nagano, Holland, Roman Haug, Van de Sanden
Subs: Micah, Parry, Kearns, Lundgaard, Taylor, Lawley, Kiernan, Enderby, Flint
Preamble
This is Chelsea’s first home game since Emma Hayes announced she would depart the club at the end of the season. Chelsea are hosting their second match of the season at Stamford Bridge and will be hoping for a good turnout as they look to capitalise on the growth of the women’s game and their owns team success. Chelsea are top of the table, unbeaten this season with only two points dropped, so will be eager to strengthen their position at the summit of the WSL.
Liverpool are having an impressive season, too. They have only lost once in the league, having started the campaign with a shock win away to Arsenal. Manager Matt Beard believes the trip to Chelsea will be the “ultimate challenge” and will find out all he needs to know about his Liverpool side.
Let’s hope for a cracker.
Kick-off: 1.30pm GMT
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