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Chelsea WFC v Real Madrid Femenino in Group D of the UEFA Champions League at Stamford Bridge |
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The Blues face Les Blancas in the match day 5 in group D. These two met in Madrid on match day 1 and played out a draw thanks to the ref robbing Chelsea of the 3 well deserved points. The Spaniards penalty from a foul that was clearly outside the box for the equalizer and again when Niamh was about 5 yards on-side when her goal was disallowed for offside. Madrid sit bottom of the group (good) with just the 1 point from that draw and can't qualify (Bye). Chelsea are top of the group but are no means clear yet thanks to the draws away to Madrid and at home to Hacken. Blue's striker Sam Kerr has joined Madrid's Caroline Wier on the ACL list. Lauren James has scored back to back hattricks in WSL games at the Bridge but is on the bench tonight. Fran is in the 10 with Mia Fishel is the 9. The rest of the squad looks quite settled now with Jess and Kadeisha at the heart of defence and Niamh and Ashley out wide. Erin and Melanie are in the middle with Guru and Kaneryd out wide. It's a UWCL debut for Lionesses no.2 keeper, Hannah Hampton. Congratulations Hannah. Hope she has a good game. There are 2 world Cup heros in White tonight and they are ribbon wearing Australian Hayley Raso and Columbia's exciting young winger, Linda Caicedo.
The Chels get lots of possession early on and are finding space on the wings but the defending of crosses is good enough to stop any real threats. The shots they do get never really threatened to go in. We all jumped up when we thought Mia headed it home but it goes just wide. None of the shots seem to be caught quite right and are easily saved or blocked. Down the other end, Hannah isn't tested at all and it's no-score at the break.
Linda Caicedo came off at the break but she had been down for a while in the first half so it may have been an injury concern. It definitely wasn't that she has school in the morning🏫. Lauren James came on at half time in place of Mia Fishal and went straight up front in the no.9 roll. False 9?, total imposter mate, she's wearing no 10. She makes some good runs but doesn't get much of the ball but she is floating around deep and wide and making some good passes. Niamh is having some good battles defending on the left but keeps forcing them to turn infield were Erin eats them alive. She makes some good forward runs herself and + are some good interchanges with Guru but if the cross wasn’t blocked, it was cleared out of the box. Niamh gets ploughed down (agricultural 🚜tackle) in the box and Guru takes great penalty to put the Blues in the lead on 62⚽. The whites equaliser comes from a quick break and a shot from wide that Hannah saves but falls to a white shirt. The ball is smashed in to the roof of the net on 69, right in front of a suddenly silent Shed. All level again with 20 to go. The Blues waste no time in recovering and Erin Cuthbert shoots but it deflects off a defender into the net and the Chels are back in the lead on 70⚽. If only we could remember who hit the winner against the Madrid at Kingsmeadow last year🤔 22 . Aggie Aggie Aggie comes on and goes to the right leaving Lauren up front. Didn't expect that. Nusken comes on for Fran who had run her legs off. There is some good defending by the Blues as they try to see the game out. In particular Jess who has had a great game but so have all the back 4 with Captain Millie. It finishes 2-1 to the Chels who stay top of the group and have now qualified for the Quarter Finals whatever happens in Paris next Tuesday.
That's job done for Emma and the girls who deserved the win. Should have had double points after the farce in Madrid. It wasn't the best watch as the goals were down the other end but the atmosphere was good and it was nice to be back in the Shed. They weren't clinical enough in the first half but stepped it up in the second. LJ showedd a little bit of quality but the defending was very good. It was a great team performance from the Blues again against a side that was well organised defensively even if they were a little shot of attacking talent. Speaking of which, Caicedo was fantastic on the wing for Columbia but seems ineffective here in the 10 roll. Shame!🤣!. It only been a few months but we have got used to the clock running on after 90 but, this was UEFA and things are a little difference so we had to follow our own watches. Some good singing form the Chelsea fans but what is that "10 men went to mow" thing about🤷♂️. Anything that get the crowd going though is a good thing. Got them over the line. Five down and one to go.
The ref didn't have much to do but she did ok as did the lines people. Both sides playing the game and not the ref helps it flow and allows the officials to pick up what needs dealing with.
POTM: Jess Carter, 🏅, she is much more assured and composed than a year ago. She has played across the back but was a great presence at centreback today. Top defender.🛑
Basil watch: He was camped out by the wall behind the Shed. He later appeared in the East Stand making lot of noise and getting the crowd going.
Raso ribbon watch: It was white today.
Scranometer is on a diet so stayed sulking at home.
We are taking the Chels with us back to Crawley for the Brighton game on Saturday. See you there.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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