Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea: Late goal by Guro Reiten levels the score after Chloe Kelly’s strike, as 9-woman City earns Blues a point

The scoreline of this game would suggest this was a hard-fought point for Chelsea, who came from behind to score a 96th minute equaliser at Manchester City.

But this was a match, and victory, that was snatched from the hands of City in the most controversial of circumstances.

In a game which produced 11 yellow cards, five of which were for dissent, including City boss Gareth Taylor, the home side finished with nine players after Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp were sent off in either half. City have now had three red cards in just two games after Leila Ouahabi was sent off at West Ham last week.

Greenwood was sent off in the 38th minute when she was given a second yellow card for alleged time-wasting while Hemp was booked twice for a foul and dissent.

‘If we’re consistent throughout the season in terms of this refereeing and this new stance, we’re going to have a lot of games like that when we’re eight v eight,’ Taylor said.

‘I just think let’s move it a little bit slower because if not, we’re just going to have an eight-a-side league unfortunately, if they’re consistent.

‘I just think it spoils things. Three red cards in two games is going to send a message, if anyone is not watching us play, that we’re a dirty team. Anyone who was watching us in the last two games would never say that.’

Greenwood’s first caution was for a foul on Jessie Fleming. Her second came when City won a free-kick in their defensive half. There were 26 seconds between the awarding of the free-kick and Greenwood taking it. 

After looking at her options, the defender had shaped to play long but then halted her run up and played short. The length of time was enough for Heaslip to brandish a second yellow card, deeming Greenwood to have deliberately wasted time.

‘The officials have come into us and have made themselves clear at the very beginning of the year,’ Chelsea boss Emma Hayes said. ‘Any time-wasting will be bookable offences, any back-chat and bad-mouthing will be bookable offences. That was made 100 percent clear to us at the beginning of the season.

‘That’s how our team understood this season and I am very proud of our players that were on yellow cards for the discipline that you have to have in this game.’

Greenwood was given her marching orders 29 minutes after City had taken the lead through Chloe Kelly, whose long-range shot deflected off Jess Carter and sailed over Zecira Musovic.

Chelsea struggled to make their extra player count for much of the game, with Lauren James coming closest to equalising with a shot that rattled the crossbar.

City’s task became even harder when Hemp became the second player to see red. The forward had been booked for dissent earlier in the game after believing she had won a goal-kick when a corner was awarded. 

Her second yellow came for a soft foul on James. The forward took a risk to make the challenge while already on a yellow, but had been the victim of a much worse tackle from Ashley Lawrence, which did not result in a booking.

In truth, City played better with nine players than a below-par Chelsea did with 11, but Hayes’ side managed to force an equaliser in the sixth minute of added time.

City had just seven outfield players on the pitch to defend a corner after Alanna Kennedy was forced to go off for treatment and Chelsea made their extra players count.

Khiara Keating had done exceptionally well to keep out Millie Bright’s header but a scruffy rebound was eventually forced over the line by Guro Reiten.

Chelsea nearly won it as the clock passed 100 minutes, with Sam Kerr’s header hitting the outside of the post but nine-player City held on.