After a busy week on the road competing in the Women’s FA Cup and Continental Tyres League Cup, Chelsea Women are back to league action on Sunday when we host West Ham United.
Here is our match preview that will give you key information ahead of the London derby…
WHEN AND WHERE?
The Blues return to our KT1 home Kingsmeadow on Sunday against London neighbours West Ham for a 2pm kick-off.
HOW TO BUY TICKETS
Tickets are still available to purchase online and are priced at £9 for adults and £1 for juniors (aged under 20) and senior fans (aged 65 or over). You will no longer be able to purchase tickets online from 10pm on Saturday, but the matchday ticketing booth will be open 90 minutes prior to kick-off for cash payments only.
Click here to buy tickets
THE FORM
The Blues are unstoppable thus far, having not tasted defeat all season. We have not lost a WSL game in 18 matches (won 14, drawn four) with our last league defeat being 3-2 away to Birmingham City in January 2019. In that time the Blues have netted 58 goals whilst conceding just 13.
Emma Hayes’ side are in the running for the league, the Women’s FA Cup and the Continental Tyres League Cup after beating Manchester United on Wednesday night to secure a place in the final for the first time ever.
It was a closely fought match against the Red Devils, Chelsea were far from our best, but we dug deep and got the all-important victory to reach the final. Maren Mjelde was the hero and got the match-winner in the final 20 minutes of the contest. Erin Cuthbert was the provider breaking clear down the left, and clipping a cross to the far side of the box to Mjelde, whose touch looked to have made the angle too tight to finish. Somehow, under pressure from a defender, the Norwegian managed to blast a sensational finish into the far corner past Mary Earps in goal.
West Ham are eighth in the league rankings having won three, drawn one and lost five. Their last match was last Sunday against Arsenal in the fourth round of the Women’s FA Cup. Last season’s finalists, the Irons, went crashing out of the competition due to two Gunners strikes either side of half-time.
The Hammers won their previous league game at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, a match that finished 2-1. Alisha Lehmann’s quickfire second-half brace saw Matt Beard’s side come from behind to claim three much-needed points.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Fans who cannot make it to Kingsmeadow, can keep up to date with the match via our social media channels. There will be live commentary on our Twitter page, regular updates on Facebook and Instagram, plus footage of the matchday on our Instagram story. Simply search ‘ChelseaFCW' on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date.
You can watch the game live on The FA Player, a free streaming platform, exclusively dedicated for women’s football in England.
MATCHDAY
There will be matchday activities taking place prior to kick-off. Outside Kingsmeadow we will have face painters, with special super hero stencils – get your favourite characters painted on your face!
Mascots Stamford and Bridget will also be around pre-match and half-time for fans to take selfies with.
CHELSEA WOMEN V WEST HAM WOMEN HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
West Ham are mid-way through their second season in the top flight, therefore Sunday will mark the fifth time we have come up against them, with two occasions coming this term.
Our last meeting came at the end of October when we travelled to Rush Green for our away league fixture which finished 3-1 to the Blues.
West Ham was our opening Continental Cup opponents and we got off to the perfect start in the campaign thanks to two second-half goals from Bethany England and Guro Reiten.
We came up against the Hammers twice in the 2019/29 season. The Blues secured a hard-fought win over them in our first-ever competitive meeting. Two outstanding goals from Ramona Bachmann meant we came away with the three points.
Then we played them for our final game of the season, and it was a special day as we marked Spence’s 10 years as a Chelsea player. The Blues dominated the first half and deservedly went into the interval with the lead due to England who headed home a Cuthbert free-kick. There were plenty of other opportunities throughout the contest, but we were made to pay when our opponents levelled the scoring. Gilly Flaherty, who was a twice Double winner with the Blues, headed past Carly Telford on 65 minutes which meant the afternoon of celebration ultimately ended in frustration.
NEXT UP AT KINGSMEADOW
After Sunday, we will next play at Kingsmeadow on Wednesday 12 February when we take on Birmingham City Women (kick-off 7pm). Four days later, we host Liverpool in the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup, which has a kick-off of 2pm.