A sunny day is what Chelsea Women got in their Women’s Super League season debut at their new permanent home, Stamford Bridge. It also reflected the mood at the stadium with plenty of fans ready to cheer on the Blues today.
The hosts answered in kind with great offensive play, putting to task Aston Villa’s new goalkeeper, Akane Okuma. Unfortunately she was quick to show why they brought her from Japanese league winner INAC Kobe Leonessa in the first place, with good parries throughout the first half.
She isn’t infallible. But you can’t fault Okuma for not being able to defend Lauren James’ opener at the 11th minute of the match, which was an incredible short-range effort from the attacker.
Otherwise Chelsea kept knocking on the Villa’s door but almost always found an obstacle in front of goal. In a few occasions it was their own lack of aim.
The second half was pretty much set to become a repeat of the first, where Chelsea kept pressure on Aston Villa and shot a lot at their goal while the opposition at the Bridge tried to be more clinical with their few chances. It worked out for them as Veerle Buurman scored an unfortunate but expected own goal to equalise for the visitors.
Okuma was still putting out a goalkeeping clinic. Her and the rest of Villa’s team were also greatly aided by Chelsea’s ongoing finishing issue with plenty of chances going off-target until the final whistle.
- Looks like we’re playing a three-woman backline with Katie McCabe, Veerle Buurman and Lucy Bronze as centre-backs.
- 18 shots against Aston Villa just in the first half. Can we keep this up in the second half?
- First time Villa take points from us in WSL history.
- Next up: Manchester United away in the Women’s Super League.
- KTBFFH.
