SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER 12PM KO
WOMENS SUPER LEAGUE
CHELSEA WOMEN 4 EVERTON WOMEN 0
Everton after the late heartbreak of losing the FA Cup final in Extra Time, and the midweek postponement of the Man Utd Conti Cup Game, were finally back in league action after a 3 week league break, It would not be an easy game though as it was away to none other than Chelsea, the team Everton knocked out in the quarter Finals of that cup run at Goodison at the end of September, That defeat to Everton was Chelsea's 1st defeat any comp since April 2019, while they were actually unbeaten in the league since a home defeat to Birmingham in Jan 2019, Chelsea had incredibly only lost 6 WSL games in 5 and a half years [4 of them home defeats] with 3 of them comming to the same team [Man City] while the other 2 came verse Arsenal, Everton not surprisingly till that cup win had not had the best run v Chelsea with no wins in 7 years and had not won at Chelsea since a 4-1 win there in June 2013, Everton were on their longest streak [5 games so far] without defeat in the top flight since September 2012 [8 games] and would probably have took a point if offered to them despite overall having a very good record v Chelsea and a very unlikely win would put Everton top for a few hours at least,
Everton came into this game with a few knocks with Valerie Gauvin missing it after she somehow for the 2nd time in 2 weeks after a bad looking Injury carrying on in the FA Cup Final - she was seeing a Knee Specialist this week while Captain Lucy Graham had an ankle Injury but should be ok for the game v Reading at Walton Park Saturday 4.30pm ko and Live on the BBC Red Button, Magill and Emslie who was the player to miss out the FA Cup due to only been able to register 6 players were the only 2 changes
Everton started brightly with Chistiansen playing in sorensen down the right whos crossed was just about punched away by chelsea keeper Berger from the arriving Emslie. After a turn by Cuthbert in the middle and playing in Andersson on the left. the cross was perfect for Harder who could not quite direct her header on target, Everton were so close to going 1-0 up on 13mins after Raso drove in a cross that just scrapes Emslie's head. Chelsea scramble it away. It comes out to Egurrola about 40 yards out who spots Berger way off her line. She hits it just wide with Berger scrambling. but just 2minutes later on 15mins it was an error from the Everton keeper that did prove costly when her clearance was charged down by England straight into the path of Ji So Yun who made no mistake in firing low into the keepers bottom right hand corner, Everton had defended any early pressure quite well up to now, MacIver made another routine save from Yun a few minutes later, on 27mins Mjelde's fierce effort rebounded off the wall via a good position for a free kick on the left of the box . It comes out to Ji So Yun whose follow-up is saved by MacIver, Everton should have drew level on 34mins when a super angled cross from the left from Raso was flicked on from Christiansen free in the 6 yard box,but she got no power when power to either side and it was a cert goal, it was cloose to 2-0 on 38mins when A pin-point long ball from Bright found England who beat the offside trap. She advanced on goal but MacIver managed to force her wide and she shot into the side-netting, Ji So Yun then shot over on 41mins for chelsea, Harder then shot wide seconds later for Chelsea, but on 43mins it should have again been 2-0 when A corner from Andersson evades everyone and reached Harder at the back post but the Dane can't direct her header on target! Would've been a certain goal if she had, But half time came with the rare thing of no Injury time with Chelsea leading 1-0 but Everton had more than played there part
Everton didnt make the most of a Free-kick from the right that was not dealt with by Chelsea on 50mins, but Everton could not fashion a clear strike at goal and made a mess of that chance, Sevecke had to come off on 59mins with what looked blurred version after a bad clash of heads at the very start of the 2nd half, on 60mins England with a driven shot from distance had MacIver leaping to tip it round her right post. It looked destined for the top corner, Everton despite not been as attacking as the 1st half were close again on 67mins when Raso shot wide at the back post from a Moe Wold deep cross[ chance below] Everton wanted a pen on 72mins when an Emslie cross maybe hit Bright on the arm, but Chelsea did get a 2nd seconds later when a great pass by Melanie Leupolz, showing awareness to pick out Beth England for a calm finish in to the bottom corner, it became 3-0 on 74minutes when Cuthbert's fierce effort was tipped onto the Bar by MacIver. But England got there first to head in on the rebound showing she wanted it more, it should have been 4-0 just 2minutes later which England should have got her hattrick in minutes but she headed wide when it looked easier to score, Chelsea nearly got a 4th when Kerr was played through and brook into the box but MacIver gets down well to make the stop, Just as most of the Everton chances today Everton got no luck when a cross from Wold was headed onto the post by Egurrola on 89mins, as usual today one big chance for Everton was quickly followed by a goal for chelsea when this time a great goal scored by Harder top corner in Injury time, It was Chelsea's 11th home win in a row which is a record and Everton's 1st league defeat of the season which droped them down a pace to 3rd which could be 4th a few hours later, Everton had done so well at times today against a team that will be top 3 who have the meanest defence in the league with only 2 conceeded,
EVERTON TEAM
Maclver, Wold, Finnigan, Sevecke, Egurrola, Turner, Magil, Emslie, Christiansen, Sorensen,
Raso
Subs Korpela,
Pattinson, Clinton, Clemaron, Stringer, Pike, Boye-Hlorkah,
EVERTON SUB ON 59MINS
Pattinson on for Sevecke
EVERTON SUB ON 71MINS
Boye-Hlorkah on for Magill
EVERTON SUB ON 79MINS
Pike on for Raso
Raso Chance
CHELSEA SCORER JI SO YUN
CHELSEA 2ND/3RD SCORER BETHANY ENGLAND
CHELSEA SCORER PERNILLE HARDER