Full Time: Chelsea Women 3 - 1 Reading Women
It's Chelsea who are victorious in their first game of the new decade. Sam Kerr had a strong debut, and although she did not score, she provided the assist for the first.
Bethany England was in fine form as usual, and showed once again how she is one of the top players in England.
Despite Fara Williams' early goal, Reading were set back by Grace Moloney's red card and found it difficult to recover.
The highlight of the game will, of course, be this amazing strike from Guro Reiten:
What a finish! 😍@ChelseaFCW lead courtesy of this fine effort from @guro_reiten pic.twitter.com/s1uHCGFilZ
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 5, 2020
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90+2: England comes very close again, but is denied by Rachel Laws
Around the grounds:
Rianna Dean has pulled one back for Tottenham Hotspur against Manchester City at the hive, and Jordan Nobbs has just made it two for Arsenal in their game
FOUR minutes added on at Kingsmeadow
Substitution for Chelsea
Jamie-Lee Napier makes her debut for Chelsea, replacing Mjelde
8
87: Bethany England hits the side netting with a shot from a tight angle
88: Remi Allen comes close to breaking through for Reading but it stopped by the Chelsea defence, the Royals seem to be having a late flourish here
8
86' Farrow comes close for the Royals up top, but she is denied by Berger
82: Final substitution for reading
Farrow replaces James to make the Royal's final substitution of the game
76: Substitution for Chelsea
Hannah Blundell replaces debutant Sam Kerr
Around the grounds
It's all going on in the WSL right now, Manchester City are 2-0 up at Tottenham thanks to a Pauline Bremer goal and a long-range wonderstrike from Ellen White.
Kim Little has also made it 1-0 for Arsenal at home to Birmingham
75: CUTHBERT! IT'S THREE
Rachel Laws saves a close header from Bethany England after brilliant link-up play between Andersson and Reiten to provide the cross, and the Scottish international Erin Cuthbert fires the deflected ball into the back of the net
Here's another look at Guro Reiten's excellent finish that made it 2-1
What a finish! 😍@ChelseaFCW lead courtesy of this fine effort from @guro_reiten pic.twitter.com/s1uHCGFilZ
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 5, 2020
69: A good header from Beth England is saved by Rachel Laws, but the Chelsea attacker could have definitely done more to trouble the goalkeeper
68: Reading Captain Natasha Harding is back for the Royals, and replaces goalscorer Fara Williams
Around the grounds:
A big result in Manchester for Bristol City as they find a 1-0 win at Leigh Sports Village
64: OHHHH GURO REITEN WHAT A GOAL!
It's 2-1!
Sam Kerr has a horrendous miss from close range after Laws slips, but Norweigan international Guro Reiten hits it sublimely on the volley from over 30 yards out and into the back of the net
62: Substitution for Chelsea
A change now for the blues, with Erin Cuthbert replacing Sophie Ingle. A very attacking-minded substitution from Emma Hayes
57: HOW HAS THAT NOT GONE IN
Andersson's cross curls towards the net, and is clawled away by Laws. I have lost count of how many deflections that took in the box between players trying to force it over the line. With replays, it seems that it may have just gone over at one point, but the referee did not give it.
Rachel Laws is now down after taking a big collision with the post to her head
56: It's close again for Chelsea. They come close from Reiten's cross, and the deflected ball is hit by Drew Spence, and blocked out for a corner.
55: Reiten has her initial effort from the left blocked, but even after wriggling out of being marked by two can not make anything out of the opportunity
52: Chelsea have started this second half really well, and are dominated the play so far. It's hard to see a way that they won't end up with all three points here
46: The match has resumed at Kingsmeadow
Reading are back out on the pitch for the second half
Half Time: Chelsea 1 - 1 Reading
A great first half at Kingsmeadow, with both sides playing excellent football, but it ends with the scores equal. Sam Kerr has looked good in her first game in England, although there may be some worry as to if there has been any damage done to her shoulder.
It would be nice to see the addition of Jamie-Lee Napier in the second half, as her play going forward could really make the difference for Chelsea.
Despite dropping down to only having ten on the pitch, Reading have carried on strong against very good opposition. Their midfield play is excellent, and they have made a good number of chances for themselves, although only converted one.
Live coverage will be back in around fifteen minutes when the sides come back out for the second half.
42: Chelsea have really grown into this game now as we approach half-time. Increased numbers have rewarded them with lots of chances, and it is a miracle that they have only scored one
40: GOOOAL 1-1
Chelsea' front two combine to perfection, and after being fed through by Kerr, Bethany England rounds the keeper and slots home. The buildup was brilliant to that goal, a fluid passing move all the way from the other end of the pitch down the left-hand side
36: Another brilliant save from Rachel Lawas to deny Sam Kerr at the near post
32: A great move from Chelsea finds Bethany England on the right, who just can't get her shot on target. Ji has been down for a short while with a head injury but seems to now be fine
31: Ji Comes Close!
After a good ball across the box from Sam Kerr, Ji So-Yun's effort falls just wide of the far post
30: Sam Kerr is found in the box, but is adjudged to be offside
29: Nothing can come for Chelsea from the resulting corner
28: Ji So-Yun's half-volleyed effort is deflected behind for another corner
26: Mjelde's corner is a good one towards the back post, but cannot be attacked by any Chelsea players
Around the Grounds: HT Manchester United 0 - 1 Bristol City.
It's half time at Leigh Sports Village, and Bristol have the lead thanks to the earlier Ebony Salmon strike
Solo strike 💫@ebony_salmon starting the new decade with a bang 💥 pic.twitter.com/1N6YJcbQjz
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 5, 2020
24: Sam Kerr seems to still be in quite some pain from her previous injury to her right shoulder
22: Both sides have started strongly, but Chelsea still seem to be yet to find their feet in the match. The red card could however change the match's dynamic, and Reading have lost a crucial player up front
20: Ji So-Yun fires the resulting free-kick over the bar
18: First Substitution
Rachel Laws comes on for Reading to replace Brooke Chaplen, due to Moloney's sending off
18: Sam Kerr looks to have taken a bit of damage from that tackle. She's back up, but is clutching her shoulder
MOLONEY SENT OFF
16: It's all happening here at Kingsmeadow. Straight from kickoff, Sam Kerr is fed through on the 18-yard-box, and Grace Moloney's sliding tackle results in a sending off for the Ireland international
GOOOOAL Chelsea 0 - 1 Reading
15: What a goal for the Royals. A long period of good player in the Reading box results in Fara Williams hitting a brilliant left-footed half-volley from Brooke Chaplen's layoff
13: Fara Williams' left-footed delivery is well cleared by the Chelsea defence and taken forward by Kerr
First corner of the game
12: Reading's cross is deflected behind, resulting in them winning a corner
10: Close! Sam Kerr is fed through from the right, but Grace Moloney's press closes the space and allows a Reading defender to slide in and take the ball
10: Reading's discipline has shown so far in midfield, Chelsea have only had a handful of chances and have not been clinical enough going forward from those
Around the grounds: Bristol City have made it 1-0 away to Manchester United, with ex-red Ebony Salmon opening the scoring
5: Five now gone, Sam Kerr's chance the biggest moment of the game, but Reading have been dominant in midfield
How has she missed that!
2: Sam Kerr is fed through one-on-one with the Reading keeper, but with barely 90 seconds on the clock fires over the bar from close range
Kickoff!
1: The game is now underway, with Chelsea getting us started
The teams are out!
Both sides are out now at Kingsmeadow!
Less than 25 minutes left to go until kickoff, and all eyes are on Chelsea forward Sam Kerr to impress today
A close up of Sam Kerr during the warm-ups.
— VAVEL Women’s Football (@WOSO_VAVEL) January 5, 2020
📷 Edward Payne. pic.twitter.com/nYRFTwx4OO
Chelsea lineup announced. Sam Kerr starts!
Chelsea have announced their lineup for today's game, with just under an hour left until kickoff. Sam Kerr starts, with Jamie-Lee Napier on the bench
A place in the starting XI for @SamKerr1! 💪#CFCW pic.twitter.com/YhukDiJZYQ
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 5, 2020
Reading Lineup now out
Reading have announced their starting XI for today's game
Here’s our Starting XI for this afternoon’s @BarclaysFAWSL clash against @ChelseaFCW at Kingsmeadow
— Reading FC Women (@ReadingFCWomen) January 5, 2020
🔵⚪️ #Royals #CHEvREA pic.twitter.com/8ZGAzK4wVC
Game Day!
It's matchday at Kingsmeadow, and the team lineups will be available very shortly. It seems like Sam Kerr and Jamie-Lee Napier will make their first starts for Chelsea
@SamKerr1 x @JamieLeeNapier 🤩#CFCW pic.twitter.com/n0nj1syXOb
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 5, 2020
Do not miss a detail of the match with the live updates and commentaries of VAVEL. Follow along with us all the details, commentaries, analysis and lineups for Chelsea Women vs Reading
Chambers grateful of her team's mentality
“The girls had a game plan to put into place and over the last 3 games of the year they did that and that’s credit to them. It shows that when they do that, the performances they can put in and results they can get.
"We won on penalties against Chelsea and took all 3 points against Tottenham, it’s a shame that the break came when it did, really, as we were just building momentum, but it was good for the girls. We’re going to come back stronger in 2020 and that begins with Chelsea on Sunday.”
Emma Hayes' views
‘We know what Reading are about, Hayes said. ‘They caused us problems in the Conti Cup game, but this is a new opportunity. We’ve got new players and we’ve had time to work on the training pitch.
‘We’re really looking forward to the game and for us we need to just concentrate on what we’re doing and to keep improving that. Our fans have been terrific so far this season and I hope the crowd become an important part of our performance on Sunday.
‘Both have adjusted really well since we came back,’ Hayes replied when asked about the additions of Kerr and Napier ‘They fit in seamlessly into the group dynamics and the squad have taken them in as their own.
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Reading Women: Predicted XI
Moloney; Pacheco, Potter, Howard, Leine; Eikeland, Allen, Moore, James; Williams, Chaplen
Chelsea Women: Predicted XI
Berger; Mjelde, Bright Ericsson, Andersson; Spence, Ingle; Bachmann, England, Reiten; Kerr
Reading Women: Team News
Kelly Chambers will have a full Reading side to select from on Sunday, with no injuries that are not long-term.
Chelsea Women: Team News
Of course, Sam Kerr will be available to make her first appearance for Chelsea, however, Jamie Lee Napier could also feature for the blues, and could provide fresh legs in midfield since joining from Hibernian Ladies in December.
What you've all been waiting for... 😉 @SamKerr1 pic.twitter.com/3FgVgCxuEV
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) December 29, 2019
Reading in fine form
Even though they may not be favourites for Sunday's game, Reading could provide tough opposition for Emma Hayes' side.
In their past eight games, they have only suffered a single loss (at the hands of leaders Arsenal) and actually defeated Chelsea on penalties in the Continental Cup.
Prior to the winter break, they dispatched a strong Tottenham side 3-1 at home, scoring in the 88th minute and then 10th minute of extra time to secure the win.
Chelsea looking to kick on
Despite being third in the table, Chelsea have a game in hand and are only three points off of the top spot.
The league has already seemed to become a three-horse race for the title, and with the current form of Manchester City and Arsenal, it is crucial that as many games as possible can result in all three points if Emma Hayes' side are to lift the trophy at the end of the season.
This game could prove to be a pivotal one for the season, with Sam Kerr eligible to make her first appearance for Chelsea
Kickoff time
Chelsea vs Reading will be played at Kingsmeadow, in Kingston-upon-Thames, London. The kick-off is scheduled at 12:30 BST.
Welcome
Welcome to VAVEL.com’s LIVE coverage of the 2019 Women's Super League match: Chelsea Women vs Reading!
My name is Adam Millington and I’ll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, roster updates, and news as it happens live here on VAVEL.