Thanks to BCOMS Academy, I had the opportunity to attend Chelsea’s WSL match against Everton on Sunday. It was a cagey affair as Everton frustrated Chelsea with their resolute defending. However, Sonia Bompastor’s side showed the mental strength to remain seven points clear at the top of the WSL table and extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to 24 matches.
The opening ten minutes was intriguing as both teams started cautiously. Chelsea dominated the large share of possession, whereas Everton was more than happy to be resolute out of possession as they relied on the pace of Toni Payne and Kelly Gago to hurt Chelsea in transition. Lauren James had Chelsea’s first meaningful chance when she thought her effort had crossed the line, but it was gathered by Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan just in time.
Chelsea continued to apply pressure to the Everton backline, and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd had a header she couldn’t quite direct at goal from a clipped ball to the back post by the lively Lauren James.
Chelsea kept on forcing Everton back into their half. However, to Everton’s credit, they dug deep and defended their box well to frustrate the home side. Mayra Ramirez had an effort blocked inside the Everton box after being picked out by Macario.
Ashley Lawrence released Rytting Kaneryd down the right-hand side. She delivered a cross into the box with Nusken, who had a shot blocked by the determined Everton defence.
Everton drew first blood in the match, and it was Kelly Gago who gave her side the lead in the 50th minute. Toni Payne won possession for her side, and she played in Gago. Her exquisite shot on the left-hand side bamboozled Hannah Hampton into the top right corner to give Everton the lead.
The French international could have extended Everton’s lead as she burst into the box, but Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton got to the ball quickly before she unleashed a shot.
Colombian striker Mayra Ramirez equalised for Chelsea in the 62nd minute. She spun her opponent inside the box before slotting past Brosnan into the bottom left corner to draw her side level after Rytting Kaneryd found her in the box.
With 25 minutes left on the clock, Chelsea was still pushing for the winner, and Ramirez’s effort inside the six-yard box went just wide.
Chelsea went ever so close in search of a winner in the 77th minute. Aggie Beever Jones had a header that rattled the crossbar from a good delivery from Sandy Baltimore.
In the 83rd minute, Beever Jones also struck an effort onto the woodwork again from a corner as Sonia Bompastor’s side continued to apply the pressure on Everton.
Lauren James scored Chelsea’s all-but-important winner in the dying minutes of stoppage time. She received the ball from Baltimore and carried the ball before unleashing a shot past Brosnan to seal a 2 -1 win.
After the match, I gained access to the post-match press conference; I had the opportunity to ask Sonia about a new summer signing and French defender Maelys Mpome’s first start in the WSL and how she could build on today’s performance. She said, “Maelys came from Montpellier in the French league, and she is still young”. She also explained that she needs to “develop as an individual, and she is in the right environment working with Chelsea and the staff”. She also stated that “she did well and performed well.”Lastly, Sonia said that she could be counted on when called upon in the future.
