Arsenal v Chelsea LIVE: Women’s Super League result and reaction as Gunners shake up title race
Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea: Rampant Gunners put themselves in the hunt for the WSL title with a superb performance in front of record crowd at the Emirates
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo scored twice as her side hammered Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in front of a league-record crowd of 59,042, blowing the title race wide open in the process.
Arsenal forward Beth Mead opened the scoring in the eighth minute, finishing off a dogged attack by keeping a cool head to cut back inside Niamh Charles and fire into the roof of the net with her weaker left foot.
The lead lasted all of five minutes as Chelsea winger Johanna Rytting Kaneryd netted a similar effort to Mead’s, shifting inside Steph Catley to create a bit of space and scoring with a low shot that flew in at the near post.
Rytting Kaneryd’s Sweden international team mate Amanda Ilestedt headed Arsenal back into the lead in the 36th minute, and Russo added a quick-fire third less than two minutes later as Chelsea’s defence floundered.
Blues coach Emma Hayes made a triple change at the break but it made little difference as they continued to struggle to find any fluency in attack. Any hope of a comeback was snuffed out when Ann-Katrin Berger conceded a penalty for a foul on Russo, who scored from the spot in the 74th minute.
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr had a chance to reduce the deficit deep into stoppage time but her header from Fran Kirby’s cross lacked power as Arsenal comfortably held on to win.
Follow along for all the updates plus get the latest football odds and tips right here:
GOAL! Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea (Russo, 74 mins)
Russo steps up and makes no mistake! Arsenal have missed several penalties recently but the England international makes no mistake this time as she fires it low and into the bottom-left corner.
Arsenal lead by three now and that could be that.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
72 mins: PENALTY! Russo collides with the keeper and falls to the deck. The referee pauses for a moment and points to the spot!
Carter got the initial interception but Berger was already on her way out and brought down the Arsenal striker.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
70 mins: The game has got a bit scrappy in the last ten minutes or so, which Arsenal won’t mind one bit you suspect.
Now, James can count herself very lucky. She receives a yellow card for an off-the-ball incident but replays clearly show it was a pretty deliberate stamp on the foot of Walti.
There’s no VAR in the WSL but that’s definitely one that could have warranted more than a caution.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
64 mins: Another change now for the visitors as Reiten makes her long-awaited return replacing goalscorer Rytting Kaneryd.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
61 mins: And the change is made as Arsenal take no risks over Little. Maanum comes on in the captain’s place.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
60 mins: Some slight concern now for Arsenal as Little goes down requiring treatment.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
58 mins: Foord lays it off to Mead on the edge of the box but her first-time effort is blocked by Carter.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
56 mins: And her teammate Foord joins her in the book moments later after a mistimed challenge on Rytting Kaneryd.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
54 mins: The first yellow of the day is shown to McCabe after her reaction to a foul.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea
52 mins: With those changes, it looks like Chelsea have moved to a back three. Rytting Kaneryd and Charles appear to play at wing-back, while James has moved central alongside Kerr in attack.
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