Reiten the difference maker as Chelsea extend WSL lead | OneFootball

Chelsea went five points clear at the top of the WSL after narrowly beating Manchester United at Kingsmeadow Stadium.

Guro Reiten’s first-half penalty made the difference in a closely contested match as Sonia Bompastor‘s side extended their perfect league form, winning all eight matches under her leadership and conceding just three goals in the process.

Heading to southwest London without top-scorer Elisabeth Terland and forward Ella Toone, unbeaten United were always set to face an uphill battle, but put in an admirable performance in spite of formidable opposition.

It was clear from the off that both teams were keen to find a way to play around the weather. The teams swapped ends following the coin toss, with Chelsea evidently electing to play with the wind at their backs in the second half. United took the decision in stride, though, as Gabby George would shoot from range early on, looking to catch Hannah Hampton out in tricky conditions.

United’s tactical approach was clear from the early stages. Playing with marked physicality, they looked to unsettle their hosts, marking tightly in midfield as they pressed intently. While this approach certainly frustrated Chelsea in the opening quarter of an hour, it would also prove to be United’s undoing as a tidy one-two between Mayra Ramirez and Hamano was all the Blues would need to exploit the space left in behind.

With Chelsea’s striker through on goal, a panicked Phallon Tullis-Joyce scrambled for the ball and missed the mark, cleaning out the Colombian and conceding a stonewall penalty in the process. The spot kick was driven home by Guro Reiten, who had looked lively since kick-off, and Chelsea were in the driver’s seat.

That said, the first half performance was anything but convincing. Blame it on the 60mph wind gusts or general late-block fatigue, but Chelsea routinely misplaced passes and miscued moves, adding to the idea that Sonia Bompastor’s squad, even though winning all of their matches this season, still have more to offer.

Alternatively, you could argue that United have found the key to unsettling the champions. Their constant pedal-to-the-metal press left the hosts uncomfortable throughout the first half, keeping them from setting into a rhythm. For United to only have conceded one before half-time is an honour very few WSL sides can claim this season, though to close the half without a shot and just three touches in the box were worrying signs.

United’s first shot would come mere minutes into the second half, as Geyse fired a looping shot towards the top right corner of the Chelsea net, forcing Hampton into an impressive acrobatic save.

Chances were few and far between for Chelsea, though the introductions of Aggie Beever-Jones and Catarina Macario served as a statement of intent from Bompastor. Macario’s mazy dribbling gave the Blues a period of front foot attacking, but the all-important second goal still eluded them despite going close through Bjorn’s header and another mazy Rytting Kaneryd dribble.

Macario’s addition injected a dose of creativity into Chelsea’s front line, her dynamic, direct dribbling causing Maya Le Tissier and Jayde Riviere a world of problems. The lack of confidence prompted by her extended layoff did still show, however. Bursting into the box just past the hour mark, she opted to pass rather than shoot, misplacing her cross and squandering a goalscoring opportunity.

It would ultimately make no difference, though, as Melvine Malard would rattle the bar amid an injury time attacking burst.