Wednesday 30 April 2025 22:30
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Manchester United were beaten narrowly by Chelsea in the WSL on Wednesday night, the final game of the season at Leigh Sports Village, before the weekend’s derby at Old Trafford.
Lucy Bronze’s header towards the end proved to be the only goal of a closely fought game in which United arguably deserved more after creating a number of good opportunities to score.
The result, combined with Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa earlier in the evening, means that Chelsea sealed the WSL title for the sixth straight season when the full-time whistle sounded.
United, who remain third, had been hoping to seal Champions League qualification with victory in this one. But now a point against Manchester City next time out would mathematically ensure a second top-three WSL finish in the space of three seasons.
Melvine Malard tested Chelsea’s backline.
FIRST HALF
During a cagey opening 15 minutes, the visitors threatened first. Maya Le Tissier needed a sharp turn of pace to cut off Wieke Kaptein’s route to goal after a ball into space over the top, while Phallon Tullis-Joyce then parried low at the near post from Mayra Ramirez, who was later forced off injured just under half an hour in.
United also defended well to ride out a spell of Chelsea pressure later in the half. Sandy Baltimore couldn’t find a way through a crowd of United legs, before Erin Curthbert’s attempt was very well blocked by Hinata Miyazawa. Tullis-Joyce then got comfortably behind Millie Bright’s low drive from distance.
But United went closer to breaking the deadlock a few times. Moments after Tullis-Joyce’s save from Ramirez, Hannah Hampton pulled off a similar near-post stop to deny Melvine Malard. The rebound fell to Grace Clinton in the middle of the box, only for Naomi Girma to throw her body in front of the strike from our no.8.
Later in the half, Malard was again the source of danger. She latched onto a loose Chelsea back pass, attempting to round Hampton, who got just enough on the ball. Again, the rebound fell to Clinton, with her powerful drive palmed over the bar by the Chelsea goalkeeper.
In the final moments before the interval, all four sides of LSV and the United bench erupted, appealing for a penalty when Bright appeared to catch Clinton just inside the box. Despite the protests, referee Abigail Byrne waved play on.
It was a warm spring evening under the lights in Leigh.
SECOND HALF
United began the brighter after half-time. Malard tested Hampton within a couple of minutes of the restart, firing a high shot towards goal. There was soon a very smart stop to deny Celin Bizet, who had peeled away at the far post, attempting to squeeze the ball in first time. Dominique Janssen was also denied from distance.
As Sonia Bompastor’s team weathered that storm and looked to create chances of their own, Tullis-Joyce pulled off a huge triple save just shy of the hour mark. She pushed away Cuthbert’s first strike, before springing up to get her body in the way of two follow-ups. The Blues later looked to have played their way in as Aggie Beever-Jones combined with Sjoeke Nusken, only for Janssen, covering behind, to perfectly time her tackle.
Midway through the second 45, and with Ella Toone and Elisabeth Terland brought on to freshen things up for United, the latter didn’t miss by much as a rasping 20-yard dive flew over.
United were unable to find a way through.
Chelsea’s breakthrough from a corner with just over 15 minutes left came somewhat against the play. Bronze rose highest in the box, just beating a stretching Tullis-Joyce to Baltimore’s delivery.
Our American star was soon on hand to strongly save from Kaptein, keeping the deficit at one goal to provide the foundation for a late push for an equaliser. But Chelsea, protecting a lead they knew would seal the title, closed ranks to keep the door shut through seven minutes of stoppage time.
A reminder that tickets are still available for our next game, Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford, where we are aiming to secure European football for next season. More than 30,000 have already been sold but head online and get yours now.
MATCH DETAILS
United: Tullis-Joyce; Riviere (Mannion 84), Le Tissier (c), Turner, George (Sandberg 70); Miyazawa, Janssen; Bizet (Naalsund 84), Clinton (Toone 63), Galton; Malard (Terland 63).
Subs not used: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Awujo, Griffiths.
Booked: Malard.
Chelsea: Hampton; Bronze, Girma, Bright (c), Charles; Walsh, Cuthbert (Nusken 57); Beever-Jones (Macario 76), Kaptein, Baltimore (Reiten 75); Ramirez (Rytting Kaneryd 27 (Hamano 76)).
Subs not used: Spencer, Lawrence, Mpome, Jean-Francois.
Goal: Bronze 74.
Attendance: 4,029.
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Wednesday 30 April 2025 22:30
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