Chelsea 0-2 Arsenal
By Emme Fortnam (26/1/26)
Above: The two teams prepare for a free kick to come on Photo: Chelsea FC
With the London Derby underway at Stamford Bridge, we saw Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-0 for the first time at Stamford Bridge since 2018. Beth Mead and Mariona Caldentey scored in the second half to secure the three points. This allowed Man City to extend their lead to nine points, something which looks hard to close for Chelsea.
The Action
The game started evenly, with both teams looking to get down the other end. The first chance of the game fell to Beth Mead, who shot wide.
Throughout the first 10 minutes, Chelsea were on a high defense with Millie Bright leading as captain with some last-ditch tackles and Alyssa Thompson providing a relief option for Chelsea with her pace.
Russo shot wide, before Chelsea started to push Renee Slegers’ defence for the first time winning some corners, although they couldn’t make an impact on the score. Given Arsenal’s midweek 1-0 loss to Manchester United in the Subway Cup, they were clearly determined to make a positive attacking start to this one, controlling more possession in the first 30 minutes.
Chelsea started to grow into the game later in the half, with Thompson and Carpenter pushing forward. Sam Kerr continued to work hard as part of that front two with Thompson to create chances for herself, while at the other end Caitlin Foord drew Hannah Hampton into her first save, but it was too easy for England’s number one.
Despite the 0-0 score, it was a good game by the half, with both teams looking like the top three worthy sides that they haven’t always looked throughout the season so far. To pinpoint Lucy Bronze, Ellie Carpenter, Alessia Russo, and Mariona Caldentey, they really brought a changed dynamic to the game, taking risks in attack.
It wasn’t long into the second half until Russo perfectly aligned the ball for Mead as she soared through the box and put the goal in, giving Arsenal the lead at the Bridge.
Responding to the goal, Sonia Bompastor brought Lauren James, Aggie Beever-Jones and Keira Walsh on to shift the balance of the game and give Chelsea more creative options. Despite this, it was Arsenal who struck again, as Mead picked out Caldentey, unmarked on the edge of the box. The Spanish midfielder accepted Chelsea’s invitation into the box, allowing her the time to pick out the corner and deny Hampton any hope of making a save.
In the final 30 minutes of the game, we really saw the frustrations and emotions running through the Chelsea players at their home stadium. Lauren James put a number of teasing balls into the box, with Cuthbert and Nusken both missing easy headers. Pelova and Holmberg added fresh legs to an Arsenal side under attack, while at the other end Bronze blocked a Russo shot.
And as the final minute of the 5 minutes added time expired, we saw Arsenal beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 2018, putting them 1 point behind in the table. Manchester City’s win on sunday extends their advantage on Chelsea to nine, but with City facing these two sides in the nect two weeks, there is still plenty of football to happen in the WSL
TEAMS: CHELSEA (5-3-2): Hampton, Carpenter, Bright (c), Girma, Bronze, Baltimore, Cuthbert, Kaptein, Reiten, Thompson, Kerr. Substitutes: Walsh (for Reiten 56′), James (for Kerr 57′), Rytting Kaneryd (for Bright 66′), Beever-Jones (for Kaptein 66′), Nusken (for Cuthbert 77′), Spencer, Peng, Buurman, Potter.
ARSENAL (4-3-3): Borbe, Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe, Little (c), Caldentey, Russo, Mead, Foord, Blackstenius. Substitutes: Pelova (for Mead 69′), Holmberg (for Caldentey 79′), Codina (for Fox 88′), Hinds (for McCabe 88′), van Domselaar, Williams, Harwood.
Scorers: 0-1 Mead 55′, 0-2 Caldentey 61′.
Referee: Kirsty Dowie
Attendance: 30,545.
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