Key events
Righto, Suzy Wrack’s match report is here:
That being the case, that’s it from me. Thanks for your company and until tomorrow, peace out.
How many more teams can he hamper?
I’m on Nations League duty tomorrow night and I can’t wait for this one, one of the best games in international football even without the special context of the new managers.
Chelsea will definitely improve when their injured players are back, and should have Lauren James involved when Arsenal visit this weekend. If they were to lose that and City were to win at Charlton, they’d be five points off the pace with only four games played.
It’s long been odd that it’s allowed at rugby but not football. In the posh seats, they let you take an opaque cup, which I guess is typical of how football works.
Wieke Kaptein says it was a tough game and FAK put pressure on them, but they made it hard for themselves by not scoring when they ought to have done. The last 10 minutes “were like a fighting 10 minutes” and they stuck together which is good, but they should keep the ball better.
On her goal, she says she’s been told to shoot more often, so she did.
In other news:
Elsewhere: Barcelona 5-2 Paris FC.
FULL TIME: Chelsea 1-0 Austria Vienna
Kaptein’s brilliant goal is the difference, but FAK played really well and will feel they ought to have earned at least a point. Sonia Bompastor have a lot of work to do, because Chelsea aren’t right.
90+4 min Susic’s delivery is poor but McCabe kicks behind again, then the second effort is even worse, going straight out of play, and that might be it.
90+3 min FAK will take plenty form this game, even if they lose: they now know they can compete, and when Schiechtl flings in a throw, the ball comes offf Buchanan and goes behind. Corner,with seconds left…
90+2 min Two more changes for FAK: Weiss and Pfattner off with Pucci and Orkic coming on. We’ve sill not been advised how many minutes are to be added.
90 min Chelsea are getting away with one here; they were dominant until Walsh went off, but thereafter, they’ve been far too easy to penetrate and far too profligate when attacking.
89 min Schiechtel bundles forward and, when the ball is cleared as far as Pfattner, she shoots from the edge … straight at Peng, and Chelsea survive again. After which Sisic is booked for coming back on without permission.
88 min Buchanan and Sisic clash heads so both come to the side, but both should be fine.
85 min This time, the ball in is chest-height, but again, Pal makes it hers, then FAK counter and Weiss moves down the right then crosses, Potzl arriving on to it only to shoulder her attempted header straight at Peng.
84 min We’ve not seen nearly enough of Thompson in the second half. She needs space in front of her, not to play on the half-turn or up against a defender; against two centre-backs, she might be able to attack space in behind, but FAK’s three have coped with her pretty comfortably. Still, Chelsea win yet another right-wing corner, McCabe to take..
83 min …but Pal again comes to meet the ball in, catching cleanly under pressure.
82 min Carpenter, though, has been a threat in the second half, and she wins a corner down the right…
80 min Chelsea must get James, Cuthbert ands Beevor-Jones back as soon as possible. They’ve struggled to exert midfield control, and haven’t been ruthlessness enough in attack.
79 min A double change for FAK, Sisic and Cordes on for Schoffel and Uka. I’m not really sure why, though – Schoffel has played well and Uka has been arguably the most dangerous attacker on the pitch.
76 min Potzl runs at Buurman but doesn’t trust her pace, instead checking inside. Then, when she’s tackled, the ball breaks to Jakobsen, to pokes into the box for Uka, who shifts it inside, shoots low … and hits the foot of the far post! FAK have been the better side since about the half-hour mark and though Chelsea have had chances to make the game safe, it’s the visitors who’ve come closer to scoring since Kaptein’s scorcher.
74 min “Jan from Vienna here,” says Jan from Vienna. “Please don’t refer to Austria Wien as “Vienna”. First of all, that would be like calling Arsenal ‘London”’ but more importantly, there is a club actually called “First Vienna Football Club” (sic), that is referred to as ‘Vienna’. And being a ‘Vienna’ supporter, this is somewhat irritating. It is perfectly fine to call them “Austria”, which I understand might seem a bit odd, but that is their name (there are other clubs called ‘Austria’ in Austria…). Or FAK, in case you want to prevent confusion. I could, of course, send you a list of things that supporters of other Viennese clubs call them, but they’re all unbroadcastable I’m afraid.”
Yeah, I wondered about calling them Vienna, I’m afraid because of Rapid, but I’d call them “Rapid” so I guess I thought it a little like calling Real Madrid “Madrid” and Atletico Madrid “Atletico”. But consider me telt.
72 min Chelsea are looking nasty down the right and Kaptein lifts over the top and into space for Carpenter, who stands up a cross. Nusken might head it and has time to take it down, but instead she volleys … over the top.
70 min Oooh, but Buurman dallies inside her own box and Uka puts her under, Wenninger picking up the loose ball and does McCabe foul her as she dashes by? I think she might but it breaks to Uka, whose shot is blocked by Potter, than Jakobsen has a dig … and Peng saves! Chelsea are very, very lucky to get away with that.
69 min Another free-kick to Vienna – will Chelsea come to regret conceding so many? – Uka swinging in, but again, it’s cleared.
67 min Chelsea don’t look invulnerable but they’re creating again, a cunning triangle down the right between Carpenter, Nusken and Hamano freeing the former, whose low cross is shoved away by Pal … and there’s no one arriving into the box on the far side.
66 min Change for Vienna, Jakobsen on for Pfanner, in time for another Uka free-kick. Again, though, Pal gets it away then, when the ball comes back from the other side, she holds.
65 min Ball out to Hamano, who leaves it for Thompson, and she has look, then dribbles a shot towards the near post which Pal saves easily.
63 min I’ve been really impressed with Vienna tonight, though we have to remember Chelsea are without various top players, James, Cuthbert and Beevor-Jones among them, then lost Walsh to injury.
60 min Buchanan finds Thompson who finds Baltimore, and she spreads to Carpenter, the ball left for her by Nusken who, when fed down the right, backheels a lovely return pass. So Carpenter collects again and, with everyone drawn towards the second six-yard box, pulls a clever pass across the box to Kaptein … whose shot is straight at Pal. That was a really good chance ands, when Kaptein picks up the rebound and finds Baltimore, the shot is blocked.
