Chelsea Women make another statement with Community Shield victory over 10-woman Man City

And so finally, a competitive women’s match: There had been none since before lockdown began. And so finally, a Women’s Community Shield: There hadn’t been one for a staggering 12 years.

While the setting of a sanitised, crowd-less Wembley was not the ideal stage for its return or the ushering in of a new season, Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson said the squad had been “feeling like children again since we’ve had the opportunity to resume playing”.

It wasn’t just the exhilaration of walking onto a pitch again, putting their passion, talent and preparation in motion, but who they were lining up against. Saturday’s encounter – the prelude to Liverpool and Arsenal contesting the men’s version later in the afternoon – pitted the two best teams in England against each other.

The intense rivalry between Chelsea and Manchester City has been one of the most riveting storylines of the Women’s Super League, which was only heightened when the former were named 2019-20 champions on a points-per-game ratio after the season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The tale here, broadcast as far as Nicaragua and New Zealand, was of atypical waste on a large scale from Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr, only for defender Millie Bright to apply the decisive edge in the most unexpected way. She drew amazement and applause in equal measure with a certified stunner from distance – a hit well worthy of settling this contest after Jill Scott was sent off for City.

open image in gallery

At the death, an unmarked Erin Cuthbert blasted a rocket into the roof of the net to quell a late resistance from their opponents and crown the victory for Chelsea.

City had to coax themselves out of a slow start, with their patient building from the back lacking the intent of the rapid breaks from Hayes’ 11.

Inside five minutes, Kerr should have given the title-winners the lead after being slipped through by the excellent Ji Son-Yun, but the Australian superstar surprisingly directed her effort wide with her right boot.

She was one-on-one with City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck and should have gone across goal with the inside of her foot. City dominated possession, but Chelsea were electric on the counter.

Lauren Hemp, who had been dynamic for Gareth Taylor’s charges, pulled up and had to be replaced by Janine Beckie. The substitute got on the end of the clearest opening City carved out, but it was from an offside position.

Chloe Kelly’s spectacular feet and offensive aggression saw her trick her way past three markers cutting in from wide left before slipping a pass across goal. Beckie arrived to tap it in, but without timing her run better and the flag was up.

Shortly after the half-hour mark, both teams had chances in quick succession to affect the scoreline. A free-kick from Ji diverted off a Chelsea player in the wall and looped to an unmarked Kerr. Inexplicably, she put her header well wide from just eight yards out.

At the other end, Stanway seized upon a loose ball, driving forward and thundering a strike that Ann-Katrin Berger thwarted – but the ball only went as far as an onrushing Kelly, who fired a shot straight back that struck the base of the post.

open image in gallery

Another chance fell to Kerr, who opened up her body only to completely miss the target again.

That trend continued at the start of the second half. Sophie Ingle’s stellar first-time ball arrived for Fran Kirby to take on and she served up an absolute sitter, but Australia’s captain somehow got her bearings horridly wrong again.

Chelsea continued to threaten, with City barely being afforded the opportunity to construct anything in the opening exchanges. When they did get their opponents on the back foot after Scott sent Stanway through down the middle, the 21-year-old dragged her strike off target.

That was the least of City’s concerns. Their task of ousting their foes was made infinitely harder when Scott received a second yellow for clattering into the back of Ji late on. That was with 62 minutes on the clock in and their situation worsened just four later.

Bright latched on to the ball around 30 yards out, and venomously sent a dipping effort full of swerve over Roebuck. For all the sitters that were missed by world-class forwards at Wembley, it was poetic that a centre-back decided the game with an absolute wonder.

And so, the new season starts as the old one ended: Chelsea champions, Chelsea with silverware, Chelsea making a statement again and marking a clean sweep for the decorated Hayes with her eighth trophy in charge of the West Londoners.