Liverpool Women 4-3 Chelsea Women: Emma Hayes' side suffer blow in WSL title race as Reds win seven-goal thriller

Report and free match highlights as Chelsea's season took a major hit as they lost 4-3 to Liverpool in a WSL thriller; the game went from 2-1 to Liverpool on 80 minutes to 4-3 come 93 minutes, where Gemma Bonner netted a late winner against her former club

Sam Blitz

Thursday 2 May 2024 06:07, UK

Chelsea's WSL title bid is hanging by a thread as Gemma Bonner's dramatic injury-time winner gave Liverpool a thrilling 4-3 win in one of the games of the season, leaving Manchester City with all the initiative in the title race.

Having been dumped out of the other three cup competitions in the last month, Emma Hayes' side were looking for a response to send the departing Blues manager off with a trophy, and looked on course for victory as Aggie Beever-Jones headed in a ninth-minute opener.

But Liverpool dominated the game from that point and two goals Sophie Roman Haug (51) and Erin Cuthbert's own goal (66) - both from corners - turned the game on its head.

Then came a mad final 10 minutes as Beever-Jones smashed in an equaliser (80), but substitute Leanne Kiernan immediately gave Liverpool their lead back 60 seconds later as the Chelsea defence fell asleep.

Catarina Macario then smashed in an equaliser on 83 minutes, when ended up going down as a Teagen Micah own goal, which looked to have given Chelsea some hope in the title race.

However on her 150th appearance for Liverpool and against her former side, Bonner headed into the far corner in the third minute of stoppage-time to settle a dramatic game, which saw Chelsea miss more chances before the full-time whistle.

The result means Chelsea are six points behind leaders City with just one game in hand and a much worse goal difference. City do, however, host Arsenal this weekend, meaning Hayes is needing a title favour from the Gunners and Jonas Eidevall, with whom she clashed in the Continental Cup final in March.

Despite the remaining fixtures, Hayes believes the title race is over, telling Sky Sports after the game: "I have amazing memories of this football club and we won a lot of things and I'd love to win titles again for Chelsea. But that's not going to be this year I'm afraid.

"We will never give up, but the title is far from us. It's not in our hands. City deserve it, their consistency has put them in that position. We will go to the end but I don't think the title will be heading to us this year."

A dramatic ending - from 2-1 to 4-3 in 13 minutes!

How Chelsea's season fell apart even more

After their recent disappointments over the last month, Chelsea came out of the blocks firing and looking for goals. They found one after nine minutes as Beever-Jones nodded in Macario's corner after being found completely unmarked in the six-yard box.

With goal difference key in this title fight with Man City, Chelsea rushed back to the centre circle searching for more goals and it nearly came two minutes later, as Sjoeke Nusken's shot from inside the box was parried by Liverpool goalkeeper Teagan Micah, with captain Taylor Hinds needing to hack the loose ball off the line.

Chelsea searched for more, as Macario's shot was parried by Micah, before the Chelsea forward saw a second goal ruled out for offside.

But Liverpool rallied and grew in confidence as the half went on. Roman Haug should have levelled when Marie Hobinger's free-kick found her in the box but she fired wide. The Reds ended the half on top, with Hinds seeing a close-range effort deflected just wide by Lawrence.

Then a bonkers second half started with Liverpool missing a chance after 20 seconds of the restart, as Hobinger air-kicked inside the box after good work from Ceri Holland.

And Liverpool eventually got their deserved equaliser as Roman Haug headed in unmarked from a corner in exactly the same manner as Beever-Jones' goal.

Liverpool kept pushing for a winner as Hannah Hampton was forced into a brilliant save to deny the excellent Mia Enderby, who ran rings around Millie Bright on her first Chelsea start in six months after injury.

And Liverpool found a goal from another corner as Bonner headed goalwards and it took a huge deflection off the unknowing Cuthbert, to leave Hayes with her hands on her head.

Chelsea struggled to bang on the Liverpool door until the final ten minutes of normal time, which sparked the start of four goals in 13 dramatic minutes.

Substitute Guro Reiten released Niamh Charles in the box and Micah came out of her goal for no reason. That allowed Charles to find Beever-Jones who smashed home. But Liverpool would find the lead again straight after kick-off.

Holland did superbly, turning in the Chelsea half and releasing Kiernan behind Nathalie Bjorn with a stunning pass, leaving the substitute the simple task of poking past Hampton.

But Chelsea were not done yet as Cuthbert kept the ball in on the byline before finding Macario, who squeezed the ball past several Liverpool bodies on the line and into the bottom corner.

Chelsea had two chances to win it in nine scintillating minutes of injury time. Macario headed just wide of the far post, before Micah denied Beever-Jones a hat-trick with a stunning save from the Blues striker's volley.

It was Bonner who popped up with the winner, guiding her header into the far corner to claim a remarkable win.

What the managers said

Liverpool manager Matt Beard to Sky Sports:

"I think I've aged! I felt we were comfortable first half. The first goal was disappointing but we were excellent after that. We knew they were vulnerable at the near post on set-pieces, that's where our goals from - counter attacks and set plays.

"After the first 10 minutes we were comfortable. We knew they would come for us early. We saw the comments from their side about being aggressive and on the front foot. We knew after the month they had, they are vulnerable.

"It was written in the stars [for Bonner to score]. Two great headers, credit goes to my coaching staff on the set plays. They are responsible for that, I'm very pleased. We're a big side, it took us a while to score from set plays. We knew the way they set up at their near post, that we could exploit them."

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Speaking after the 4-3 defeat to Liverpool at Prenton Park, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes claims she doesn't think the title is in reach for her side anymore and praised Manchester City's consistency in the WSL title race.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes to Sky Sports:

"I have amazing memories of this football club and we won a lot of things and I'd love to win titles again for Chelsea. But that's not going to be this year I'm afraid. My job now is to prepare the team for the last few games to continue to compete and enjoy.

"We will never give up, but the title is far from us. It's not in our hands. [Manchester] City deserve it, their consistency has put them in that position. We will go to the end but I don't think the title will be heading to us this year.

"I'm not going to be harsh on the players, for years they have delivered a lot for this football club and for me.

"And I know they want to win the title, but me being me you can't concede three set-piece goals, four [goals] in a half and expect to win a game of football. That's why we're on the losing end, but I'm going to be kind on my players after everything they've done. I don't want to be too harsh on them."

What's next?

Liverpool host Manchester United on Sunday May 5, kick-off 2pm, before going to Leicester on the final game on the WSL season on May 18.

Chelsea are also in action on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Football, against Bristol City in what is Emma Hayes' final home game as Blues manager. Live coverage begins at 6pm; kick-off 6.45pm.

Chelsea then go to Tottenham in their next game in hand over Manchester City, before facing Manchester United away on the final day of the season on May 18.

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