CHELSEA WERE NARROWLY beaten by Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League semi-final today while Arsenal’s winning streak stretched to seven games in the Women’s Superleague.
Emma Hayes’ Chelsea team are looking to reach the final of the competition for the first time and it is all to play for heading into the second leg on 2 May after the Germans prevailed 2-1.
Former Bayern player Melanie Leupolz cancelled out Sydney Lohmann’s early opener, but Hanna Glas scored what proved to be the winner in the 56th minute.
Chelsea are involved in an almighty scrap with Manchester City for the Women’s Super League title and the sides played out an energy-sapping 2-2 draw in midweek.
Chelsea had to quickly turn their thoughts to Europe but they were behind after only 12 minutes following a horror moment for goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.
The German allowed Glas’ cross to slip through her fingers, giving Lohmann the simplest of opportunities to head into an empty net.
Chelsea needed a quick response and they got it with a moment of fortune in the 23rd minute. Guro Reiten crossed the ball in and Leupolz was in the right place as a defensive header hit her, looped up and landed in the net.
The Germans took the lead again 11 minutes after the break, with the impressive Glas picking up the ball outside the box and curling it beyond Berger.
The other semi-final stands at 1-1 between Paris St German and Barcelona after a stalemate in Paris. Both goals came early on, with Jenni Hermoso heading in for Barcelona before Alana Cook levelled for PSG.
Jordan Nobbs scored both goals for Arsenal in their 2-0 Women’s Super League win against Brighton.
Nobbs’ first goal came after 27 minutes when she converted a Danielle Van De Donk cross and she struck again to seal the victory after the interval. Ireland international Katie McCabe was part of the Arsenal line-up.
Tottenham extended their losing run to nine successive league games as they suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United.
Ella Toone opened the scoring for the hosts after just nine minutes, with Christen Press adding a second 10 minutes later.
Jess Sigsworth scored a third for Casey Stoney’s Reds in the 31st minute, after which Toone struck again, stepping up to score a 48th-minute penalty awarded after Lucy Staniforth was brought down in the box.
United’s clean sheet and four-goal advantage lasted until the third minute of stoppage time, when Spurs’ Alanna Kennedy grabbed a consolation with a late free-kick.
Birmingham’s winless league run was extended to 12 games as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Reading at Damson Park.
Ruby Mace put the home side ahead in the opening minutes, turning in a Sarah Mayling corner, but they eventually surrendered their lead when Reading’s Rachel Rowe equalised in the 63rd minute.
Elsewhere, neither West Ham or Everton were able to find a goal as they played out a 0-0 draw at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
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