Cuthbert's last-gasp header seals sensational 2-1 comback win for Chelsea over Manchester City
By Paul Lagan at Etihad Stadium
Man City 1 v Chelsea 2
Erin Cuthbert scored a sensational last-gasp winner that saw Chelsea beat title outsiders Manchester City 2-1 in their own backyard in a pulsating high-calibre encounter.
Chelsea produced a magnificent second-half performance that saw them overturn a Kerolin Nicoli opener that looked to have knocked the stuffing out of the WSL champions.
But it was a case of 'my bench is better than your bench' and so it proved for the west Londoners as Keira Walsh, but arguably strikers Mayra Ramirez, Catarina Macario, and Mia Fishel who made the difference, even if sub Cuthbert notched the winner.
Head coach Sonia Bompastor's belief that she wanted to win at all costs meant that the strike force on the bench would give her the best chance of that happening, and when Aggie Beever-Jones struck four minutes into the second half, that realisation was about to kick in in quite mesmeric style.
It was a nervy start by both sides – knowing that scoring or conceding an early goal could be pivotal to the outcome of the three points on offer.
Chelsea, however seemed to have a looser, forward-thing approach, which took City by surprise. But the home side coped well with the initial flurry of activity around their penalty area.
Kerolin Nicoli seemingly beat the offside trap on the right and raced in to the Chelsea area, chased by Niamh Charles . But the forward managed to keep ahead and get a shot off which was expertly parried away for a corner by Hannah Hampton. on 10 minutes.
This fillip gave City increased confidence and they started to hold the ball well – Chelsea retreating as a consequence.
A lovely piece of Lauren James impish skills opened up the left-hand side of the pitch but her byline cross was deflected away for a corner. From the resultant kick Oriane Jean-Francois shot wildly over the City crossbar on 25 minutes.
Chelsea needed to be careful of giving the ball away cheaply, as on 28 minutes a quick counter by City saw Nicoli off and running again. This time her cross was headed clear for a corner.
And so it proved two minutes later as Nicoli went on her third run. This time she was one-one one with Millie Bright for much of the race. Once at the edge of the Chelsea area, the pace slowed and she poked the ball home past Hampton. Interestingly Laura Coombs moved into an offside position as the ball moved past her, possibly interfering with play. But the lineswoman did nothing.
Chelsea escaped a poor Kirsty Dowle decision on 41 minutes when Nicoli was upended by Bright and Jess Park swept in a beauty of a curler past Hampton.
But Dowle was quick with her whistle and disallowed the effort and gave the free kick instead,
From the kick, Yui Hasegawa rattle the crossbar.
Laura Coombs the flashed a great Nicoli byline cross wide.
Surprisingly, there were no changes by either side at half-time.
A James right-footer signalled the visitors intent in trying to level as early s possible, bur Khiara Keating was equal to the effort.
And that's just what they did on 49 minutes.
Excellent ply by Johanna Kaneryd Rytting on the right, saw her byline cutback picked up by Aggie Beever-Jones, who took, one touch before hitting a low drive past Keating.
Vivianne Miedema tried a low drive of her own, this time on the edge of the Chelsea area, but Hampton snaffled it.
Keating then produced the save of the game tipping away a screamer from Wieke Kaptein on 54 minutes.
Kaneryd then smashed the far post as the Blues went in search of a second.
Bompastor replaced tiring Maika Hamano with Erin Cuthbert on 55 minutes.
City were rattled at this point and Jean-Francois needlessly wasted an chance by not passing, in stead screwing a left footer wide.
Kaneryd should have scored but delayed slightly her shot which took a deflection off Keating for a corner.
Mayra Ramirez was next to enter the fray along with Keira Walsh – Beever-Jones and Jean-Francois went off - both on 632 minutes.
Miedema then hacked off the line a Cuthbert shot on 65 minutes.
Keating then produced a worldie to deny Kaptein.
City then stopped the game after a Keating 'injury' allowing City head coach Nick Cushing to try to halt the direction of travel towards his goal and change some tactics.
The introduction of Mary Fowler helped City's cause as they started to regain traction on the ball.
City then brought on Laura Wienroither and Lily Murphy off went Hasegawa and Laia Aleixandri on 81 minutes.
City started to press more higher up causing Chelsea to struggle to keep possession when they attempted to play out at the back. Hacking it to Ramirez up front was the next best option.
Kaneryd screwed her close range effort wide of goal on 86 minutes. A time when one mistake would prove costly.
In an attempt to win the game on came striker Mia Fishel and Catarina Macario, off went Kaneryd and Kaptein.
Keating then produced another great save, this time denying a James thunderbolt.
Then one minute into the added six minutes Chelsea sensationally struck – Ashley Lawrence sent over the perfect right byline cross and Cuthbert dived spectacularly to head home a thumper past Keating.
Teams: Chelsea: Hampton, Bright, James, Kaptein, Rytting Kaneryd, Charles, Bronze, Hamano, Jean-Francois, Beever-Jones
Subs: Spencer, Fishel,Nusken, Ramirez, Cuthbert, Macario, Bjorn Baltimore, Walsh
Man City: Keating, Layzell, Aleixandri, Miedema, Coombs, Roord, Nicoli, Park, Casparij, Hasegawa, Prior
Subs: Annets, Fowler, Wienroither, Ouahabi, Oyama, Startup, Murphy, Davies
Referee: Kirsty Dowle
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