City up to second with crucial Chelsea win

A spectacular strike from Fillipa Angeldahl set the tone for a convincing first half display, with the Swede lobbing Ann-Katrin Berger from just inside the area.

Lauren Hemp doubled the advantage soon after with a stinging drive into the top corner to send the majority of the 5,000-strong Academy Stadium crowd into raptures.

And while City were unable to add to the advantage in an evenly contested second 45, victory extended our unbeaten WSL run to 14 matches as our title bid gathers momentum.

What happened?

It can often be a cagey affair when two title rivals lock horns but, amid a raucous Academy Stadium atmosphere, City and Chelsea served up a pulsating affair.

The visitors were the first to threaten, with Ellie Roebuck smothering Sam Kerr’s effort after the Australian had looked to poke in at the near post on the counter.

She was called into action once again before the 15-minute mark, getting down well to her left to parry Ingle’s deflected strike, but the hosts were far from on the back foot, and a sustained period of pressure would follow midway through the opening 45.

With neither side able to translate their moments into genuine chances, it took a real moment of quality to ignite the encounter.

And it went City’s way, when Angeldahl was afforded too much time inside the area to dink the ball over Berger for her first WSL goal.

Gareth Taylor’s side were in control, and number two would follow ten minutes later.

Chelsea failed to clear Chloe Kelly’s floated cross into the box, with Laura Coombs knocking the ball back into the path of Hemp.

Without breaking stride, the winger launched an unstoppable volley into the top corner of the net.

The goal sparked a change from the visitors, with Emma Hayes rolling the dice with a double substitution before the break - an indication of City’s hugely impressive performance in the opening stages.

And the second 45 was a much more even affair, with Chelsea perhaps edging the play in a half which, for the most part, was bogged down in the midfield.

Indeed, the first real sight of goal came in the 68th minute when Angeldahl flashed an effort wide of through a crowd of bodies.

But while Chelsea were off colour by their usual standards they still posed a threat, with Roebuck showing smart reflexes to tip an audacious near-post effort from Kerr around the post.

As the game ticked into the final five minutes Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw had her first real chance of the game, heading onto the roof of the Chelsea net after good movement off the ball.

But the biggest chance of the second 45 would ultimately be the last, when an unmarked Melanie Leupolz volleyed over the bar in stoppage time.

Player of the match: Filippa Angeldahl

The Swede’s spectacular opening goal capped off an afternoon that’ll live long in the memory.

Tidy in possession and tireless without it.

How we lined up

City XI: Roebuck, Morgan, Houghton (C), Greenwood, Aleixandri, Hasegawa, Coombs, Angeldahl, Kelly, Shaw, Hemp (Blakstad 78’).

Subs: MacIver, Casparij, Stokes, Fowler, Castellanos, Raso, Ouahabi, Kennedy, Blakstad.

Chelsea XI: Berger, Mjelde (Cankovic 66’), Buchanan, Eriksson (C), Carter, Leupolz, Ingle (Charles 36’), James (Rytting Kaneryd), Cuthbert (Fleming 79’), Reiten, Kerr.

Subs: Musovic, Perisset, Abdullina

What it means

Victory moves City up to second in the WSL table, level on points with league leaders Manchester United.

Chelsea drop to third, one point behind Gareth Taylor’s side but with a game in hand.

Up next

It’s another huge game for Gareth Taylor’s side with an away trip to Arsenal our next assignment.

Kick-off at Meadow Park is set for 12:30 (UK) on Sunday 2 April.