Aston Villa came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as Sonia Bompastor’s side were denied a winning start to their Women’s Super League campaign. Lauren James had given Chelsea a deserved lead after just 11 minutes, capitalising on a mistake in the Villa defence before shifting the ball onto her left foot and firing powerfully into the roof of the net. Chelsea remained on top and Aggie Beever-Jones, making her 100th appearance for the club, was denied by Akane Okuma before Sjoeke Nusken fired over as the hosts went into the break with a slender advantage. Villa improved after half-time and Amalie Vangsgaard passed up a huge opportunity to equalise when she met Chasity Grant’s cross at the near post but fired narrowly wide.
Chelsea then went within inches of doubling their advantage as Keira Walsh’s long-range effort crashed against the underside of the crossbar. The visitors made Chelsea pay in the 79th minute. A mix-up inside the home penalty area allowed Noelle Maritz to react quickest and her close-range effort deflected off Veerle Buurman and into the net for an own goal. Chelsea pushed for a winner and almost found one in the final minute of normal time, but Okuma produced a superb reaction save to somehow turn James’ close-range effort over the crossbar and preserve a point for Villa.
The result means Chelsea begin their attempt to reclaim the WSL title with a draw in their first league game since making Stamford Bridge their permanent home, while Villa end a run of 12 successive league defeats against the Blues to make an encouraging start to their campaign. 5: WIDE! James collects the ball on the left, cuts inside and drives towards the area before creating space for a shot that flashes past the post. 11: GOAL! A mistake at the back gifts the ball to James, who drives towards goal, shifts onto her left foot and fires powerfully into the roof of the net. Chelsea lead! 21: SAVE!
Carpenter is played in down the right and crosses towards Beever-Jones at the near post, but Okuma gets down quickly to push her effort behind. 28: BLOCKED! Villa work the ball to McAulay, who cuts inside from the right before seeing her effort blocked and cleared. 32: OVER! Thompson crosses from the left to Beever-Jones, who controls and lays the ball back to Nusken on the edge of the area, but the German fires over. 45: CLOSE! Parker produces some fine defending at the near post to turn the ball onto the roof of her own net as Chelsea threaten again. 55: CLOSE FOR VILLA!
Grant crosses towards Vangsgaard at the near post, but the Villa striker meets it first time and fires narrowly wide. A huge chance to equalise. 67: OFF THE BAR! Walsh goes close to doubling Chelsea’s lead as her stunning effort from outside the area crashes against the underside of the crossbar. 79: GOAL! VILLA ARE LEVEL!
A mix-up in the Chelsea box allows Maritz to react quickest and her close-range effort deflects off Buurman and into the net for an own goal. 90: INCREDIBLE SAVE! Okuma somehow pushes James’ close-range effort over the bar to deny Chelsea a late winner. A superb save from the Villa goalkeeper.
