It’s derby day delight for Chelsea as they beat Spurs 5-2 in an eventful game between the London sides at Kingsmeadow, including a Johanna Rytting Kanerydbrace, for the Blues to maintain their 100% win record this season.
Spurs had a positive start under the lights where Matilda Vinberg set up Ashleigh Neville on the edge of box, but her left footed strike was deflected wide of the target.
However, Chelsea was quick off the mark to open the scoring just 9 minutes into the match. Maika Hamano was the one who gave the hosts the early advantage after Johanna Rytting Kaneryd picked up a loose ball from Tottenham’s Amanda Nilden. The Chelsea star made her way up the right wing before entering the box and cleverly picked out Hamano whose shot was too powerful to handle and struck the back of the net from close range.
Just a minute later, Guro Reiten sent a long-range effort straight into the hands of Becky Spencer, followed by Rytting Kaneryd shortly after, in attempt to grab a second.
Despite the hosts looking like they would be the ones to scorenext, Spurs equalized at the 20-minute mark. One cross was defended by Chelsea’s backline before Nilden sent another one in from down the left wing, where Hannah Hampton’s save was not quite smooth and as the ball bounced the spin arguably sent it over the line, in the eyes of the assistant referee, for Nilden to grab her first competitive goal in Spurs colours.
Hampton was then booked following up from this after protesting the decision to give the goal.
Chelsea fought back as a response to this with a cross from Sjoeke Nüsken which hit the post after the ball avoided the path of anyone else.
Either side of half hour on the clock, two former Chelsea players took their chances at aiming to give the opposition the lead. Bethany England went for goal but was shut down by Kadeisha Buchanan and Drew Spence sent a great effort just wide of the post.
Just two minutes before additional time was announced, the hosts retook the lead. Guro Reiten sent in two successive corners and the latter of these lead Nilden into attempting to head the ball away but instead reinstated Chelsea’s lead after converting the ball into the roof of the net.
On the cusp of the break, the Blues had the opportunity to further extend the lead when they were awarded a free kick. Reiten was the one to take it, and Millie Bright’s header from this was sent over the bar.
The West London side headed into the break with a one goal advantage.
Half-Time: Chelsea 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
The excitement and competitiveness of a London Derby continued into the second half. Around ten minutes after the break, Spence took aim and fired for the target, but Hamptonwas there to send it behind. The resulting corner was safely collected by the Chelsea stopper.
Around five minutes later, Reiten’s cross met Mayra Ramirez who almost converted the ball in but the Spurs backline wereable to clear it before they linked up again with the former going for goal herself, but her attempt was wide.
After Buchanan fizzled out the danger from Spurs down one end of the pitch, Rytting Kaneryd added to the Blues’ lead. Millie Bright’s deep cross was headed for the far post before the Swede volleyed the ball into the far corner of the net, and past Spurs’ shot stopper.
Just five minutes after, Rytting Kaneryd was at the forefront of the attack again down the right with her cross being dealt with by Clare Hunt with the Matildas’ defender being penalized for handball. Reiten was the one to step up for the penalty awarded and despite Spencer going the wrong way, it hit the woodwork. However, Sandy Baltimore was able to collect the loose ball to superbly tuck the rebound into the top of the net, grabbing her second of the season and Chelsea’s 4thof the game.
With 15 minutes to go, Nilden was substituted to make way for Ella Morris to make her WSL debut, after signing for the Lilywhites in the summer transfer window.
With just 6 minutes left of normal time, the North London side were awarded a free kick in a dangerous area, just on the edge of the box. Evelina Summanen pulled one back for the traveling team, curling home a lovely effort from this set piece into the bottom right corner.
To finish off the game, another goal came for the Blues’ with Rytting Kaneryd once again getting involved to finish off the action. She once again took advantage of the space down the right wing before cutting inside and firing a shot into the roof of the goal, giving Chelsea the final say in this match and regaining their 3 goal lead.
Full-Time: Chelsea 5-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea XI (3-4-2-1): Hampton; Bronze, Buchanan (Mpome 85’), Bright (c); Rytting Kaneryd, Cuthbert (Kaptein h/t), Nusken, Baltimore (Lawrence 78’); Hamano (Jean-Francois 85’), Reiten; Ramirez (Beever-Jones 77’)
Unused subs: Musovic, Bjorn, Perisset, Bernabe
Scorers: Hamano 10’, Nilden (og) 44’, Rytting Kaneryd70’, 90+1’, Baltimore 74’
Booked: Baltimore 18’, Hampton 21’, Buchanan 83’
Tottenham Hotspur XI (4-2-3-1): Spencer; Neville, Bartrip, Hunt, Nilden (Morris 75’); Ahtinen (Gunning-Williams 75’), Summanen; Naz, Spence, Vinberg; England (Thomas 63’)
Unused subs: Buhler, Csiki, Dennis, Dezire-Pierre, Grant, Talbert
Scorers: Nilden 21’, Summanen 84’
Booked: Hunt 29’, Spence 76’
Referee: Emily Heaslip
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