Chelsea did not capitalise on a dominant show of their Ladies’s Champions
League opener as they have been held to a 1-1 draw away towards Twente.
Sonia Bompastor made seven modifications to the facet that drew with Manchester United final Friday and regardless of creating a bunch of possibilities in Enschede her facet have been pressured to accept a degree.
Even that had seemed in jeopardy when the house facet took the lead towards the run of play simply previous the hour mark, Danique van Ginkel sending an exquisite end into the highest nook, earlier than Sandy Baltimore’s penalty rescued the Blues.
Chelsea must have fallen behind after 11 minutes to a uncommon Twente opening, Leonie Vliek taking part in a intelligent one-two with Jill Roord to create space to shoot however inexplicably opting to cross, permitting Ellie Carpenter to recuperate and make the clearance.
Sjoeke Nusken then again heeled inches previous the submit from Maika Hamano’s cut-back earlier than Oriane Jean-Francois teed up Hamano who blazed over from a very good place on the sting of the penalty space.
Twente goalkeeper Diede Lemey produced a superb save to maintain out Nusken’s volley after Guro Reiten’s cross was half-cleared. The hosts’ keeper added to her present reel with a sensible cease to maintain out Reiten from shut vary earlier than half-time.
Bompastor’s facet thought that they had taken the lead after the break when Alyssa Thompson smashed Nusken’s cross previous Lemey, just for the offside flag to place an abrupt finish to the guests’ celebrations.
It was an exquisite end that gave Twente the lead, Van Ginkel amassing the ball and sending a perfectly hit, curling drive round Mille Vibrant and into Livia Peng’s high nook.
Chelsea have been rescued 20 minutes from the top when Reiten was tripped contained in the field giving Baltimore the possibility to degree from the penalty spot, which she duly took, slipping the ball into the underside nook.
Bompastor: Not a very good outcome in any respect
Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor: “It’s not a good result at all. We wanted to start the campaign with three points. Out of possession I am quite happy – even if we conceded a goal. In possession, when you play this goal you need to show more desire.
“We created quite a lot of alternatives and could not rating multiple. We had a number of conditions within the field and we had 18 crosses, solely six occasions we have been first on the ball. This isn’t sufficient once you play a Champions League sport.
“I told my players after the game a bad result is tough right now but we need to stay together and take some learnings from that. That’s the only thing we can do, stay together and find solutions.
“We wish to be an aggressive workforce, we wish to play a excessive block. I do not suppose Twente created quite a bit however as soon as is sufficient for them to attain. We took dangers in our sport however I feel that’s the proper factor to do. We needs to be dominant greater than what we confirmed.”
Chelsea modifications fail to repay
Evaluation by Sky Sports activities’ Callum Bishop:
Going into the sport, Chelsea and Sonia Bompastor would’ve had each proper to be assured. In any case, they have been developing towards an FC Twente workforce that they beat 9-2 throughout two conferences towards them final season.
Maybe that confidence was a part of the rationale why Bompastor opted to make seven modifications to the facet that drew with Manchester United. However that call definitely didn’t repay.
A lot has been mentioned concerning the energy in depth the WSL champions have. Bompastor even boasted about it pre-match. However that is what occurs once you throw these gamers collectively once they aren’t used to taking part in with one another.
Bompstor has the problem of making an attempt to maintain everybody on her star-studded roster comfortable. However tonight, those she seemed to appease by giving them a chance from the beginning, didn’t appear like stars. They seemed like strangers.
These on the pitch knew what they wanted to do, however they have been disjointed of their efforts. So many occasions a cross can be performed, however nobody can be making the mandatory run or have picked up the suitable house. It screamed of a bunch of gamers that hadn’t rehearsed sufficient with one another.
Chelsea are determined to lastly get their fingers on the elusive Champions League title. However they aren’t going to do it until they play their finest and most well-drilled XI. This opener has warned them of that.
