Crystal Palace First Half Strike Wasn’t Enough to Weather the Blues second half storm
Chelsea eventually sealed all three points from an incredibly feisty South London derby against Crystal Palace. It was an end to end match up that saw the Blues come back from behind and Storm Boelo’s swirling wind dictate play.
Crystal Palace would have hoped to bounce back after a shock 3-2 defeat to Southampton midweek, a closely fought battle against the WSL2 side on the south coast where the Eagles much changed side missed out on all three cup points. A weekend 1-0 home loss to West Ham compounded their need for points, unable to turn dominance, strong defensive energy and counterattacking prowess into wins. Speaking pre match, head coach Potter said that this Palace team is different from the one that lost 7-0 to Chelsea at home in their last WSL season "we're not taking anything for granted. We're wanting to improve. We're wanting to be better.”
Chelsea on the other hand, buoyed by a six goal thrashing against fellow London rivals Tottenham at the Bridge last weekend and a welcome week off, will want to continue their statement start to the season and keep pace at the top of the table.
Molly Bartrip opened the scoring from a looping corner in the closely fought first half, but Chelsea came back at the 45 looking for more. Melvine Malard bagged a brace and the Eagles goalscorer's last ditch tackle in the box was deemed a foul, substitute Sandy Baltimore scoring her penalty in the 90th minute to put the tie to bed.
Team News
Jo Potter makes nine changes to the team that lost 3-2 to Southampton midweek, only Hayley Ladd and brace scorer Annabel Blanchard retain their starting spot. Opening day goalscorer Lexi Lloyd Smith starts with captain Aimee Everett shoring up the defense, Swaby is on as right back. Former Chelsea striker Beth England is in the lineup to face her former club, Teyah Goldie retains her perfect starting record in the league and Irish international Abbie Larkin will hope to keep her good form alive. Jaime-Lee Napier drops to the bench for only her second game out of the XI of the season.
Chelsea’s back line of captain Lucy Bronze, Ellie Carpenter, Kadeisha Buchanan and Katie McCabe remains unchanged from their 6-2 win against Tottenham. Young wonder midfielder Lexi Potter returns to her former club where she spent two successful seasons on loan as a teenager, Jo Potter saying pre match that "playing at Palace was huge for her and it's put her in a much better place now". There is no Lauren James or Keira Walsh in the squad but Maika Hamano takes a spot in the eleven after a beautiful strike as a substitute at Stamford Bridge, Wieke Kaptein retains her spot and Melvine Malard leads the line. Manaka Matsukubo is named on the bench for the first time since signing for the Blues this summer.
Starting XIs:
Crystal Palace:
26. Peyraud-Magnin (GK), 6. Everett ©, 7. Lloyd-Smith, 9. England, 16. Ladd (‘95 34. Enge), 17. Blanchard (‘77 27. O’Brian), 19. Larkin, 22. Goldie, 25. Tsunoda, 29. Swaby (‘95 3. Napier), 32. Bartrip.
Chelsea:
24. Hampton (GK), 2. Carpenter, 6. Nüsken (‘91 16. Dragoni), 9. Malard (‘91 29. Matsukubo), 12. Thompson (‘46 11. Baltimore), 15. McCabe, 19. Kaptein (‘61 33. Beever-Jones), 22. Bronze ©, 23. Hamano (‘46 8. Cuthbert), 26. Buchanan, 32. Potter.
The Eagles Push Through Chelsea Pressure To Find The Opener
Chelsea got the game underway piling pressure on the hosts. An early chance saw Malard head the ball on for Nüsken but Palace’s Molly Bartrip got enough on it to send the ball out for a corner.
The Eagles also had their chances, getting some good opportunities in the opening 10 minutes down the right flank but there was too much on it for the run of Abbie Larkin.
Chelsea put a lot of pressure down their right hand side, Carpenter relentless overlapping down the flank and combining with Nüsken but the Eagles trademark defensive display was the first too it, Goldie and then Bartrip sending it out for a double corner, McCabe's looping effort had too much on it and was sent over the bar. A subsequent McCabe corner was headed off the line by Swaby and Blanchard was able to kick away a further effort from danger, Palace’s defensive tenacity present early on.
Palace did have some attacking moments, Bartrip taking a throw in quickly and sending it down the flank but no one was there. The hosts had a lot of midfield control early on, Potter conceding a free kick on Hayley Ladd and Brighton loanee Tsunoda ran rings around the middle of the park.
Further pressure down the Blues right made the moment of the match. Ellie Carpenter and Wieke Kaptein worked the ball well with some beautiful one touch football, the Aussie cut back to Hamano in the center of the box for what looked to be a certain goal. French keeper Peyraud-Magnin got her glove to it but pressure by Malard meant she spilled the ball, her effort then saved off the line by both Swaby and Everett, the ball falling to Nüsken but the flurry was stopped once and for all by Peyraud-Magnin keeping hold of her wide shot.
Thompson unleashed from outside the box but her effort wasn’t on target.
Palace won their first corner in the 18th minute, Lexi Lloyd Smith tearing down the left but her strike was blocked by Bronze. Tsunoda’s first corner kick was bodied out for another, her second effort opened the Eagles account, assisted by the Japanese midfielder and the wind, Bartip got to the ball first, driving it in through the congested penalty area for Palace’s first ever goal against their London rivals in front of the home end.
The Eagles, buoyed by some confidence, saw Beth England whip it down the wing but Tsunoda couldn't get it, a Chelsea player sending it back to England, Ladd’s header was straight at Hampton. Right back down the other end Carpenter whipped in another effort but Nüsken’s shot from the center of the area drew a really good save by the French keeper, settling in really well since her arrival in red and blue. Teyah Goldie then made another last ditch tackle on Carpenter, sending it out for yet another Chelsea corner with Bronze’s header just over the bar.
The South London showdown turned fiery in the 41st minute. Kaptein fouled Tsunoda on the attack and with the midfielder on the floor Annabel Blanchard looked to shove away Kaptein who gave some back, both teams getting involved to calm the situation before Katie McCabe waded in, shoving Blanchard to the ground. A triple yellow was dealt, Kaptein, McCabe and Blanchard shown the card, Chelsea frustration creeping in as the clock ticked towards half time.
Half Time: 1-0
Malard and Baltimore the Difference Makers in Chelsea’s Second Half Come Back
Sonia Bompastor made a double change at half time to try and turn the Blues fortunes, Thompson and Hamano were replaced with experienced Baltimore and captain Cuthburt for the remaining 45.
Cuthbert had a really spirited performance in the midfield, winning the ball back from Blanchard and driving towards goal, setting it up for Malard one on one with the keeper which drew a phenomenal save, the rebound to Nüsken was then sent wide.
After a relatively quiet first half Malard made the difference six minutes after the restart, a deep throw-in by McCabe was picked up by the French striker in space who drove towards the box and fired a screamer into the left hand corner for an unstoppable equalising goal.
Palace did keep on some of their pressure, their best effort of the half coming from a free kick conceded by Carpenter for a push on Goldie. Tsunoda sent it into the box, headed on by Ladd to the feat of Bronze but she only cleared it as far as England in a congested penalty area, but her golden opportunity was sent agonisingly over the bar.
Cuthbert once again dictated proceedings at the other end, won the ball back from Swaby on the edge of the area and pushed it onto Baltimore on the wing, the French substitute superbly weaved her way through three Palace players, the Eagles attempts at defence silkily waved away as she cut back to assist Malard at the near post whose header from close range couldn’t be stopped to give Chelsea the lead in the 76th minute.
Nüsken then hit the post, Lexi Potter putting in the cross that was dinked back by the head of Beever Jones with Carpenter's rebounded effort sent well over the bar, and the stand.
The final blow was dealt on the 90th minute, the Eagles goalscorer fell foul of Nüsken’s pressure, losing the ball on the edge of the area which fell to Malard, Bartrip didn’t quite get the tackle right getting more of the player then the ball as she lunged in and conceded a penalty.
The assistant became the goalscorer, Chelsea’s french forward line making the difference as Baltimore slotted in her penalty, Peyraud-Magnin getting her hand to it but it wasn’t enough to clear the effort and send the Blues back to Cobham with all three points.
Full Time: 1-3
What’s Next?
It was a difficult day for Jo Potter’s side who once again put on a superb first half display only to fall short in the second. They will take some confidence that they can go toe to toe with the biggest names in the league, scoring their first ever against Chelsea.
The Blues knew the wind would be an obstacle and they utilized it when kicking with it in the second half. A debut for Manaka Matsukubo and a league debut for Dragoni in the 91st minute adds even more threat to this Chelsea side who have barely put a foot wrong since their draw on opening day.
Focus turns away from the WSL midweek as Crystal Palace are back in Subway Players Cup action for another South London derby against London City Lionesses whilst Chelsea are in continental action against Italian Champions AS Roma.
The WSL is back in full swing next week as Chelsea take on bottom of the table Charlton and Palace, now down to 13th, will hope to collect their first three points since opening day against Brighton and Hove Albion, but without star player Tsunoda who is on loan from the Eagles, on Sunday 1st of November.