Manchester City and Chelsea meet again with the hosts out for a measure of revenge as they host the first leg of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final.
This is the second of four encounters between the two sides in a matter of 12 days, with the two legs falling either side of a WSL fixture and following quickly after Saturday’s League Cup final. The Derby decider saw Chelsea triumph at Pride Park to secure their first trophy under Sonia Bompastor, with a quadruple still a possibility with the Londoners streaking clear at the top of the table domestically.
Familiarity with their foes could prove useful for Manchester City, though, as they target a place in the semi-finals. While the replacing of Gareth Taylor with Nick Cushing did not provide immediate impact in the cup final, the interim boss led the side to four trophies in his first stint and will hope to throw the visitors of course ahead of next week’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.
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HT: Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea
No goals, then, and not much in the way of goalmouth action to dig into, either. At least there are no problems with the pitch – both teams have popped the ball about rather well at times, and you sense this is a contest that could yet open up. This is always the fear with two-legged ties, though, with neither willing to risk too much knowing that there is still 90 minutes more to come next week.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 45 minutes
Into stoppage time at the end of the half…or not. The board doesn’t go up, and that’s that.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 42 minutes
Lily Murphy was a junior sprinter of some talent, and shows off her pace as she accelerates up through the gears before Nathalie Bjorn halts her surge. Manchester City can’t make anything of the corner.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 40 minutes
Having said that, there is an almost immediate lull as half time begins to loom into view.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 37 minutes
A nice tempo to this game in the last ten minutes or so. Manchester City test both edges of the Chelsea defence, before Mayra Ramirez tries to burn Laia Aleixandri, knocking it past the centre-half. It’s to no avail, with Aleixandri recovering quickly.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 35 minutes
Nobody there! It’s lovely work from Mayra Ramirez, bounding beyond the Manchester City defence and attempting to pick out a teammate. Lauren James rushes up in support – too far, as it happens, with Ramirez’s pull-back evading her!
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 33 minutes
Not Sandy Baltimore’s best. Mary Fowler times her leap well to head away.