Chelsea started the match against Tottenham with an own goal and a red card given to the goalkeeper in the first 45 minutes. All seemed lost for the Blues with their backs against the wall and down to 10 players on the pitch. In addition, there was no indication that they were going to create a quality opportunity due to the compact Spurs defense. Rehanne Skinner and Tottenham were just one half of football away from playing spoiler in the Women’s Super League title race.
Chelsea was forced to take off Bethany England after Ann-Katrin Berger was shown red for a tackle on Rachel Williams in the 33’. Spurs had all of the momentum heading into the locker room, as the Gunners watched on, hoping their rivals could pull off the miraculous. The quality in the front line made all the difference as Chelsea used two goals from Sam Kerr and Jessie Fleming respectively to rescue itself in a time of desperation. A spectacular display of perseverance and mental toughness from the Blues in a match where simply nothing was going their way could prove to be the difference in the title race.
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Chelsea made a statement in the title race with a win over Tottenham
After the match, midfielder Erin Cuthbert spoke on the team and the title race, stating:
"“I don’t think I’ve been in a position where there is as much pressure as there currently is … It’s the most exciting year it’s ever been since I’ve been at Chelsea. Teams are pushing us all the way. Arsenal have done a great job this season but we’ve really fought back. Whenever we get kicked down we just get back up and that’s what I love about this team … The team wants it. That game was what you see in training every day—it’s so competitive because everyone is fighting for a shirt. Everyone in the whole dressing room is pushing each other and I think that’s resulted in the dogged performance.”"
The game was not built for the Blues to win. An unlucky own-goal by Sophie Ingle could have been what summed up Chelsea’s day at the Hive. It was a match where the momentum shifted on multiple occasions. Just when the Blues equalized through the in-form Guro Reiten, Spurs snatched the energy back into their favor. The tides turned several times in both halves as the Tottenham back-three—led by Austrian international Viktoria Schnaderbeck—frustrated Kerr up top. Like what Andersson stated before the match, it was a brutal uphill contest, but Chelsea proved that even with 10 players on the pitch, the quality still shines through.
In order to be a title-winning team, the squad needs to be able to win in a variety of ways, and Sunday afternoon in northwest London displayed just that. Similar to the Aston Villa match back in mid-March, the Blues were stymied by the opposition’s back line until arguably the greatest goalscorer on the planet, Kerr, rescued the tie when it needed it the most. It is the first time since last season’s Champions League Round of 16 against Atletico Madrid that a Chelsea player has been shown a red card. Just like in that match, the Blues discovered a way to come out on top of the incredible mental fortitude that Hayes has embedded into this team since her arrival.
It was easy for Chelsea just to give into the pressure and all of the things that did not go its way at the Hive. An own goal and a red card to end the Blues’ hopes for a title would have been one of the most disheartening ends to this first-place run anyone could have scripted. 70 minutes, 10 players and none of that adversity mattered for Chelsea. This squad demonstrated its ability to adapt on the fly to an unfamiliar situation in a match that any result but a win could lead to the possible end of this remarkable title chase. A harsh red card saw Zecira Musovic take over in net in the first half. Her performance off the bench, especially with no expectation to play any part in the match, was what drove Chelsea forward for the decisive goal.
Tenacity, relentlessness and fight; that is what Hayes and the Blues are all about. This was nowhere near the greatest first half performance of all-time—far from it—but the mindset to put it behind them and continue to battle is something that is almost impossible to teach.
Chelsea returns to Kingsmeadow on Thursday for another clash with Skinner and Spurs in the WSL. Berger will not be available for the Blues as the team hopes to have a much less stressful outing than the one on Sunday. Just three league matches left, and the world is still learning more and more about Chelsea and its identity. Following Arsenal’s win over Everton, the pressure continues to mount. Another battle with Spurs is up next, so the Blues know they can take on pretty much any scenario that is thrown their way.
Do you think this was a title-defining performance from Chelsea? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!