And with that, I’m going to sign off. Congratulations Chelsea on another league title, and another game unbeaten. Here’s the match report again. Night!
Here’s Sonia Bompastor, title-winning coach:
I think it’s a great achievement. It feels a bit unreal because we weren’t expecting Arsenal to drop points tonight, but being able to win against a big team like United feels amazing. I told my team before the game, it’s a big opportunity for us tonight to take a step closer towards the title, even if I wasn’t expecting it to be achieved tonight. I’m so proud of the club.
Tonight it’s a team performance. We bounced back and showed the great character the team has.
This league is really competitive. Maybe for some people they just think being Chelsea it’s really easy for us to achieve this but it isn’t. We work really hard and we had the right mindset from the beginning of the season until now. It’s a lot of hard work every day.
After we lost to Barcelona I told them, this competition is over. It hurts, for sure, because it was one of our goals but we’re professionals and we had to focus on the next game and tonight was really important for us. Have one day maybe to feel sad, and then prepare to fight again.
Hannah Hampton, Chelsea’s goalkeeper, is player of the match:
I don’t think I’ve got enough words to say. I’ve just got to say thanks to Villa for helping us. We’ve achieved everything we’ve wanted to – maybe not in the Champions League but we’re all ecstatic and we’re not going to let up in the last two games, we want to go the whole season unbeaten. We knew we had to respond in a good way. Right now we can enjoy this championship.
Here is your match report, courtesy of Tom Garry:
Chelsea clinched a sixth consecutive Women’s Super League title with two games to spare and continued their relentless dominance of the major silverware in English women’s football as they dug deep to win away at Manchester United, whose own hopes of securing European qualifying suffered a dent as a result.
The 1-0 victory, secured by a 74th-minute Lucy Bronze header from a corner, was greeted by jubilant scenes of celebration in the away end and saw Sonia Bompastor’s team remain on course to complete an entire league campaign unbeaten, a feat that has not been achieved by any team since the WSL expanded to be a 12-team division.
Much more here:
This just in from the ground:
Sonia Bompastor reacted relatively calmly to the sound of the final whistle, turning to give a high five to every single person on the Chelsea bench, including players and staff. The Manchester United fans - still feeling they should have had a penalty - are booing the officials as they walk off. But tonight is all about Chelsea, whose fans are all singing ‘that’s why we’re champions’ as their team run over to celebrate with them in the corner.
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Lucy Bronze has a chat. Of Bompastor, she says: “Sonia’s done well so far. She wants a lot more from us – I think we can give it.” Also:
It’s really nice to have scored the goal, got the win. It makes it a lot better to celebrate being champions, to win the game. We knew before the game that Arsenal had got beat, so we knew what we needed, but we wanted to win, we want to go unbeaten all season.
We get to finish at home at Stamford Bridge. All out fans get to come down and celebrate winning the trophy. It was nice to come here, celebrate a win, celebrate a league title, and move beyond the disappointment at the weekend.
While you wait for the match report to land, here’s one on tonight’s men’s Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Inter, which seems to have been … memorable.
Chelsea’s players and staff go into a giant megahuddle while Bompastor delivers a (presumably) rousing address, before breaking to head towards the pocket of visiting fans in the corner of the ground.
The Chelsea players embrace as “Champions” banners are handed out. Mayra Ramirez is one of them, and though she doesn’t look quite as pleased as everyone else hopefully it means her injury isn’t serious.
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Chelsea win the WSL title!
Final score: Manchester United 0-1 Chelsea
90+8 mins: The final whistle blows, and Chelsea’s sixth successive WSL title is secured!
90+7 mins: Stoppage time at the end of stoppage time is all that stands between Chelsea and the title.
90+7 mins: Chelsea win the ball in United’s half, and Kaptein ushers it towards the corner.
90+5 mins: Bright’s challenge on Terland is pretty strong, but she gets the ball and the referee doesn’t mind it. There appear to be some afters after the official turns away.
90+4 mins: Toone chips a free-kick into Chelsea’s penalty area, where it’s headed behind for a corner. Chelsea win the next header, too, this time sending the ball clear.
90+2 mins: Nusken goes down, and the referee gives Chelsea a free-kick. The home fans don’t like that one bit, and there are cries of “Cheat, cheat, cheat!” as the German gets to her feet.
90+1 mins: Into stoppage time, and the board indicates there’ll be another seven minutes! That’s quite a bit longer than I was expecting, for all the second-half substitutions.
89 mins: This time they cross from the left, and it’s Charles who gets the vital touch to make sure it doesn’t fall for a red shirt.
88 mins: The game is in danger of petering out a bit limply. Can United conjure a gamechanging goal?
86 mins: United cross from the right, and at the far post Bronze gets a vital eyebrow on the ball to keep it away from Galton.
83 mins: The result of Skinner’s scheming is the arrival of Naalsund and Mannion and the departure of Bizet and Riviere.
82 mins: Hamano’s cross is knocked down to Macario, whose first-time half-volley is saved by Tullis-Joyce at her near post.
81 mins: Bright hits an excellent long ball out of defence, into the space between United’s defence and their keeper, forcing Galton to clear for an attacking throw-in.
79 mins: A sense of mild deflation seems to have settled over the ground. Skinner is deep in conversation with a couple of coaches, presumably plotting a way back into the game.
76 mins: Chelsea celebrate by bringing Guro Reiten, Catarina Macario and Maika Hamano on. Baltimore, Cuthbert and Kaneryd – who came on as a substitute herself in the first half – go off.
GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 Chelsea (Bronze, 74 mins)
From which, the breakthrough! Baltimore swings the ball in, Tullis-Joyce comes for it but doesn’t get there, and Bronze glances a header into the far corner!
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73 mins: Now Chelsea win the ball deep in United’s half, but Karneryd can’t pick out a teammate with the pass and United clear for a corner.
70 mins: Another substitution for United, as Anna Sandberg comes on for George.
68 mins: Chelsea just can’t keep hold of the ball at the moment, with United scrapping and snapping around them. It’s been a really impressive performance from the home side, who have fully delivered on Marc Skinner’s pre-match demand for full commitment.
66 mins: Chelsea try to play out of defence through the United press and fail; Riviere wins it with an impeccable challenge, and it’s quickly played to Terland, who shoots over from the edge of the area.
63 mins: A double change for United, who take off Malard and Clinton and bring on Elisabeth Terland – their leading goalscorer this season with nine - and Ella Toone.
60 mins: Chelsea have woken up now. They play in Nusken, but Janssen slides in to divert her shot wide.
57 mins: Chelsea bring Sjoeke Nusken on for Cuthbert.
55 mins: Now Chelsea should score! 'I’m not sure how that didn’t go in: Beever-Jones has a decent shooting chance from the edge of the area; Tullis-Joyce pushes the ball away but straight into Kaneryd, off whom it rebounds right back at her – it could have gone anywhere really – and then back out to Cuthbert, whose follow-up shot hits the keeper!
54 mins: Hampton is in action again, this time with a more straightforward task catching Clinton’s long-range shot.
52 mins: Another save! George hits a left-wing, right-foot dipping, in-swinging cross that lands on the foot of Bizet Idhusoy, just beyond the far post. Hampton can’t havce been expecting her to get there first and does well to react to the volley and push it away.
51 mins: A United corner skims across the edge of the six-yard box and somehow back out the other side without anybody getting a touch on it.
50 mins: United have completely dominated the first few minutes of the second half, hassling Chelsea’s defenders when they have possession and forcing them to hit rushed and imprecise balls forward which they consistently snaffle.
48 mins: Malard gets booked for attempting to hook a high, bouncing ball back into play but instead booting Charles in the face.
47 mins: Chance for United! Riviere wins the ball brilliantly deep into Chelsea territory, Clinton slides it through to Malard, and really she should give Hampton no chance. She does give Hampton a chance, though, with a shoulder-high shot too close to the keeper, and she saves it.
46 mins: Peeeeep! The home side get the ball re-rolling.
Right then. The players are back out. No sign of any halftimely substitutions.
So Chelsea are a goalless half away from the league title, but this hasn’t been the performance of champions so far. They don’t all need to be, though, do they?
Half time: Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea
45+4 mins: One last half-chance before the interval: Galton is played in down the left by Malard’s nicely-weighted pass and crosses to Ildhusoy, whose header loops wide.
45+1 mins: There’ll be something in the region of three minutes of stoppage time. Looking at a replay, I think that probably should have been a penalty for United: the ball was bouncing, Bright threw out a foot to kick it away, but it looked like Clinton got to the ball fractionally before her, and it was her foot that Bright kicked.
45 mins: It’s just not quite falling for United. Clinton goes down in the area under Bright’s challenge but doesn’t win a penalty; Malard has another shot blocked.
41 mins: For a moment Chelsea seemed to be taking control of the game, but since I first pondered noting the fact United have been all over them. So probably just as well I didn’t, all things considered.
38 mins: What a chance for United! Malard latches on to a back-pass and runs into the area, but Hampton’s out quickly and by the time Malard shoots the keeper is too close! The ball then runs out to Clinton, whose first-time 20-yard drive was on its way in, but Hampton gets up and turns it over the bar!
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37 mins: Chelsea’s second shot on target comes from the left foot of Millie Bright, about 25 yards, but it trundles feebly straight to Tullis-Joyce.
34 mins: Chance! Chelsea have a corner on the right, which drops to the feet of Niamh Charles, just outside the six-yard box! She can’t have been expecting that to happen, though, because her feet are not at all in the right place to sweep it in, and as it bounces off her and over the bar she has her head in her hands.
33 mins: Chelsea have their best attack of the game, but Beever-Jones and Kaneryd both choose not to shoot when they probably should have done, and then Cuthbert does choose to shoot but hits a defender.
30 mins: A third of the match played, and the match is just about being played at a fast enough pace for the lack of threatening forward play to be too frustrating, for now.
28 mins: An excellent first touch from Charles takes her away from her marker, but she can’t pick out a blue shirt with the cross.
26 mins: Ramirez goes off, and Johanna Kaneryd replaces her.
25 mins: Ramirez is back on the field, but it looks like she’s just making up the numbers while Chelsea prepare a substitution.
24 mins: Ramirez has left the pitch, so play can continue with Chelsea down to 10 players for now.
23 mins: With the physios on, every other player clusters round their coaches for a tactical update. Ramirez is flat on her back, and doesn’t look to be getting any better.
21 mins: Ramirez goes down, feeling her right knee. It’s not a contact injury, and there’s a chance that’s her night over.
20 mins: United keep the ball for a while, passing it along the halfway line between their defenders, with every blue shirt behind the ball. Eventually they chip it into the penalty area, and Bright heads it away again.
17 mins: Another save! And an incredible goal-saving block! Manchester United are so close to taking the lead, but Malard’s shot is well stopped, and as the ball runs to Clinton with the goal gaping Girma flings herself in the way of the shot!
16 mins: Save! Mayra Ramirez takes a shot from wide to the right of goal. It’s powerful and on its way inside the near post before Tullis-Joyce throws out a glove.
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15 mins: Now United win a corner, which Gabby George takes from the right. Clinton wins the header, 15 yards out or so, but she doesn’t control it at all. Goal kick.
13 mins: … which is cleared.
12 mins: Chelsea get the ball into United’s penalty area, but they’re held up on the left and eventually Jayde Riviere, who has started the game well, slides in to tackle and sends the ball behind for a corner.
10 mins: Boos ring out after Janssen gives the ball away, goes down and the referee waves play on. It’s a good decision – Cuthbert got the ball – but Chelsea can’t capitalise, Beever-Jones’ cross going straight to the keeper.
9 mins: A decent start for the home side, but nothing vaguely chance-ish for either team as yet.
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6 mins: Melvine Malard, United’s tall solo striker, is making a nuisance of herself. She plays a nice ball through to Clinton, but the cross is headed away.
4 mins: Now Janssen brings down Lucy Bronze. United have set their pressurometer to 11.
3 mins: Grace Clinton and Keira Walsh battle each other for the ball for a while on Chelsea’s right flank. The referee eventually decides that Clinton has battled a bit too much, and gives a free-kick.
2 mins: Chelsea have two more league games after today: at Tottenham on Sunday, and at home to Liverpool next Saturday. One point from this game or either of those will win the league for them.
1 min: Peeeeeeep! Off they go!
Chelsea will kick off. Sounds like a decent atmosphere at Leigh Sports Village.
Out come the players! Hands are currently being clasped, and kick-off a couple of minutes away.
The two managers have chats with Sky. Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor says:
It could be one opportunity to take a big step to the title, we know that. We need to focus on ourselves. We need to bounce back from the game we had on Sunday.
While Manchester United’s Marc Skinner says:
I believe in what we are about and who we are, and I want to make it really difficult, really really difficult. We need to be ready to go all the way. That’s what I want to see from us tonight: full commitment.
Final score: Aston Villa 5-2 Arsenal
The final whistle blows, the final remnants of Arsenal’s title challenge have been comprehensively shredded, and Chelsea are just one point from the title!
Villa finally have a shot on target that doesn’t go in, Katie Robinson with a tame effort from just outside the area.
There are two minutes’ stoppage time remaining in that game, and Arsenal have a goal-kick and four goals to score.
Aston Villa have earned their 5-2 lead with only five shots on target; Arsenal have had more possession (64%), more shots (15-14) and more shots on target (6-5), as well as more corners (10-5) and many, many more passes (489-276 as I type), but here they are.
The teams!
Meanwhile the teams have landed for the late game, and here they are:
Man Utd Women: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, George, Miyazawa, Ildhusoy, Janssen, Clinton, Galton, Malard. Subs: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Mannion, Sandberg, Awujo, Naalsund, Toone, Griffiths, Terland.
Chelsea Women: Hampton, Bronze, Bright, Girma, Charles, Walsh, Kaptein, Beever-Jones, Cuthbert, Baltimore, Ramirez. Subs: Spencer, Hamano, Mpome, Jean-Francois, Macario, Reiten, Lawrence, Kaneryd, Nusken.
Surely that ends it! This is wild, wild stuff: a one-two on the halfway line releases Chasity Grant to sprint clear of a high and understaffed Arsenal backline, and she makes no mistake – it’s 5-2!
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And another one! A loveley cross from the right, and Alessia Russo stoops to head in at the near post! It’s 4-2 now, with 20 minutes or so to play!
Stina Blackstenius has pulled one back for Arsenal, getting on the end of a long pass over the top of the Villa defence, running clear, and scoring past an exposed keeper. It’s 4-1 now.
It’s a couple of years since anything like this has happened to Arsenal: in the space of a few weeks in April and May 2023 they lost league games 4-1 to Manchester City and 3-0 at home to Brighton, but they are not used to this kind of thing. Before this season they’d lost 10 games in three years; Villa have lost seven of their last 10; Manchester United tonked them 4-0 the last time they played a home game.
GOAL! Amazing scenes! Aston Villa are thrashing Arsenal
Well this is happening: Aston Villa have just scored a fourth – fourth – goal against Arsenal, a great move from goalkeeper through to forward, excellent passing and movement, ending with Rachel Daly poking past the keeper to make it 4-0!
Hello world!
Six points clear with three games to play, Chelsea would win the league tonight if they take more points from this match than Arsenal get in their 6pm kick-off against Aston Villa (likely to be impossible: Arsenal have won 12 of their last 13 in the league, slipping up only against Chelsea). The question is how the champions-elect cope with Sunday’s Champions League elimination at the hands of Barcelona.
“If we can win on Wednesday, it will be a big step for the title,” said the Chelsea coach, Sonia Bompastor. “This motivation is big enough for us to be focused. I’m still really confident going into the game. I know we have the quality in the squad, and the players and the staff will be all together to turn things around and be ready to compete.’
The fact that if they avoid defeat here they would guarantee going a full calendar year unbeaten in the WSL (winning 19 and drawing three) suggests there isn’t going to be much stopping them, but the possibility of a post-cup-defeat hangover is a straw to cling to – and in vaguely similar circumstances Chelsea lost an FA Cup semi-final to United in their first game after they were beaten in last season’s League Cup final. “I think it was the first time we beat Chelsea,” said the United forward Melvine Malard. “It was good. If we can do it once, we can do it again. We need to think like that.”
We’ll know for sure well before kick-off but the likelihood is that even if they win tonight Chelsea will have to wait until Sunday, when they visit Tottenham, to seal the title. But this game still holds intrigue as a dress rehearsal for next month’s FA Cup final, where Chelsea will attempt to complete the domestic treble for the second time in five seasons.
