The fairytale ending for Emma Hayes is on.
Chelsea will go into the final day of the Women’s Super League season top of the table, level on points with Manchester City but with a marginally superior goal difference.
At times, it felt as though Chelsea were determined to make this game against Tottenham more difficult than it needed to be. The Blues could have been out of sight before half-time had they been more clinical in front of goal.
It perhaps told the story of their season. They needed grit and determination to get over the line after Maika Hamano had put them ahead in the 37th minute, but they managed it – like champions so often do.
Just two weeks ago, Hayes had conceded the title to City after her team had suffered a 4-3 defeat at Liverpool. But Arsenal’s victory over Gareth Taylor’s side in the following fixture, and Chelsea’s subsequent 8-0 win against Bristol City, put them back in the driving seat and now their fate is very much in their own hands.
The Blues’ have a goal difference of +47, two better than City’s. Should the two teams finish level on points and goal difference, it will come down to goals scored – with Chelsea currently six ahead of their rivals.
Hayes’ side face Manchester United at Old Trafford on the final day while City travel to Aston Villa.
Both fixtures are tricky and there may yet be more twists and turns to come in what has been a fascinating and thrilling title race.
Chelsea started strong against a Spurs team who had suffered a bruising defeat by Manchester United in Sunday’s FA Cup final. The Blues had two big penalty appeals early in the first half the first saw Luana Buhler block Hamano’s close-range shot with her arm, before Grace Clinton pulled back Melanie Leupolz in the box – but both appeals were waved away by referee Emily Heaslip.
Chelsea had multiple chances to open the scoring but were wasteful in front of goal, until Hamano finally broke the deadlock in the 37th minute.
Catarina Macario drove forward in the middle before spraying a pass out to Guro Reiten on the left. The forward took a couple of touches before crossing to the back-post, where Hamano was waiting to place the ball past Barbora Votikova.
MATCH FACTS
Tottenham (4-3-3): Votikova, Neville, James-Turner, Buhler, Nilden(Grant 48), Spence (Graham 82), Summanen, Clinton, Bizet (Vinberg 66), England, Naz (Thomas 66)
Subs not used: Heeps, Petzelberger, Graham, Ahtinen, Ayane, Wang
Bookings: None
Goals: None
Manager: Robert Vilahamn
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Musovic, Lawrence (Carter 70), Bright, Bjorn, Charles, Cuthbert, Leupolz, Reiten (Kirby 81), Hamano (Rytting Kaneryd 71), Macario (Nusken 71), Beever-Jones (James 80)
Subs not used: Hampton, Ingle, Mjelde, Buchanan
Booked: Carter
Goals: Hamano 37
Manager: Emma Hayes
Referee: Emily Heaslip
Spurs had failed to create any significant chances in the first half but they started the second strongly, with Aggie Beever-Jones having to make a vital block to keep out Buhler’s shot from a corner before Ashleigh Neville fired over the bar.
Clinton then went close with a long-range effort but Zecira Musovic in the Chelsea goal had it covered. Spurs’ earlier momentum fizzled out as Chelsea managed the game well, while continuing to waste chances of their own at the other end.
