Africa
Adam Millington
Chelsea overcame Tottenham to move top of the Women’s Super League on goal difference going into the final day of the season.
The title race will be decided on Saturday when Emma Hayes’ side visit Manchester United and second-placed Manchester City are away to Aston Villa (both 15:00 BST kick-offs).
Maika Hamano prodded home an expertly-whipped Guro Reiten delivery in the 37th minute for the game’s only goal and put Chelsea on course to make the most of their game in hand on City.
Hamano should really have opened the scoring earlier when she sent a diving header over the crossbar, while Chelsea were also denied two penalty appeals.
Tottenham nearly levelled after the restart, but full-back Ashleigh Neville scuffed her effort over when a loose ball dropped to her in the six-yard box from a corner.
But the visitors ground out a vital victory to remain on course for a fifth successive league title. They have a goal difference which is two better than that of title rivals City.
Title race going down to the wire
Chelsea’s success ensured there will be an enthralling finish to decide this season’s champions.
Having closed the gap on City through their games in hand, it required a determined performance against Tottenham to put the Blues in pole position.
Spurs looked to bounce back from losing the FA Cup final and imposed themselves from the beginning, pressing them in midfield and overturning possession, but Chelsea remained persistent in pursuit of victory.
They produced good chances through the left-hand side as Reiten and Niamh Charles overlapped well on the wing, while they also sprayed the ball around midfield to stretch the home defence.
Until Hamano got on the end of Reiten’s cross to break the deadlock Chelsea had lacked the finishing touch.
But Tottenham’s early defiance soon waned as they were undone by the visitors’ energetic attacking approach and failed to capitalise on the counter-attack.
Chelsea were frustrated further as referee Emily Heaslip opted not to point to the spot when Melanie Leupolz was tripped and a Hamano shot hit Luana Buhler’s arm, but those decisions proved largely inconsequential in the end.
They were arguably second best in the second-half, but Spurs failed to generate many clear-cut chances – producing 0.73 expected goals to the Blues’ 2.08 – as the visitors collected the crucial three points.
The title is now in Chelsea’s hands, but there’s still work to be done.
With FA Cup winners Manchester United – who beat Chelsea in the competition’s semi-finals – next up on the final day, Hayes’ side still have a difficult task if they are to give their manager silverware before she leaves at the end of the campaign. (BBC Sports)
F.A
May 16, 2024
