LIVE – Last updated at 10:11 PM UK time
Manchester City ended Chelsea ‘s unbeaten season as Vivianne Miedema substituted twice from the bench in the opening match of the doubleheader Women’s Champions League quarter-final.
This was the second out of four meetings between the two teams within just 12 days. These matches were sandwiched around a Women's Super League game and came hot on the heels of Saturday’s League Cup final. The match had moments where both sides played cautiously, leaving the away team particularly unable to get into an offensive rhythm. This allowed halftime substitute Miedema to help establish a 2-0 lead for Nick Cushing’s squad by the end of the first leg. She began with a strike that hit the underside of the crossbar before calmly finishing her chance. Hannah Hampton late on, leaving Manchester City in an advantageous spot as they head into the second leg at Stamford Bridge.
For Sonia Bompastor This marked her first loss as Chelsea’s manager following an impressive run of 28 undefeated matches since she took charge in West London. The team appeared somewhat fatigued just a few days prior. securing League Cup triumph , and find ample activities to keep them occupied as they make their way back.
Relive all the excitement from the Joie Stadium in our live blog below:
Key Points
- Manchester City secured a 2-0 victory over Chelsea in the first leg of the Women's Champions League, ending their undefeated streak for the season.
- Vivianne Miedema scores two goals from the substitutes' bench for the impressive home team.
- HT: Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea
- GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 CHELSEA (VIVIANNE MIEDEMA, 60 MINUTES)
- OFF THE WOODWORK! Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, 80 minutes
- GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 Chelsea (Vivianne Miedema, 89 minutes)
- FT: Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea
Lucy Bronze reacts to Chelsea's defeat
22:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle“I just don’t think we were good enough,” the defender says to TNT Sports. “We didn’t have enough effort in our press, we were sloppy in our passing. We were miles off our game. Sonia said that at half time.
That's how football goes; you experience highs and lows. The first part of the season has been amazing for us. All we need to do now is regroup, improve ourselves, and focus on performing well during the upcoming matches. We firmly believe that we have the ability to change things around. In my opinion, even when we played in the League Cup final, we weren't necessarily playing up to our full potential.
It will be the most significant match of the season up until now. There's everything still left to compete for. We're aware that we have the capability to find the back of the net, so let's hope we can improve significantly in the upcoming week and make it to the semifinal.
Vivianne Miedema talks to TNT Sports
22:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle“The winner of the match states, ‘This needs to be our norm.’ We were genuinely disappointed following Saturday’s game. While I am feeling good overall, I’m not yet ready to play four full matches of ninety minutes each. It felt great to step onto the field and contribute to the team.”
We all aspire to compete in the Champions League. It remains an ongoing battle within our league. Today stood out, and ideally, we aim to replicate this level of play next week. Our squad has been depleted with many absentees. Nonetheless, this boosts our morale, and hopefully, we can carry this forward into Sunday’s match and also maintain it going into the following week.
FT: Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea
21:55 , Harry Latham-CoyleChelsea suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Manchester City, taking control of this quarter-final clash! Substitute Vivianne Miedema scored twice, bringing an end to Sonia Bompastor's undefeated streak of 28 games right from the start.
They have only reached half of their journey, yet this constitutes an impressive initial segment from Nick Cushing’s team.
FULL TIME: Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea
21:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea, 94 minutes
21:51 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe clock is running down for the guests as Manchester City secure a free kick, but they seem in no rush to resume play.
Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea, 90th + 1 minute
21:49 , Harry Latham-CoyleWe’ve played the first of five additional minutes. Chelsea earn a corner.
Maika Hameno takes a quick touch, setting up an opportunity for launching it into the box. Nathalie Bjorn attempts to make contact with her header, but the connection is weak.Goal kick.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea (Vivianne Miedema, 89 mins)
21:46 , Harry Latham-CoyleTop-tier performer! Vivianne Miedema steps up again as Manchester City chase down Chelsea’s unbeaten run!
Kerolin is the mastermind behind the play; as a Brazilian threat throughout the night, she cuts through from the right flank. She creates room with her powerful run for her striker who positions herself just outside the penalty area, yet it requires precise execution. Miedema allows the ball to roll across her foot before placing it immaculately into the corner — score 2-0!
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 86-minute mark
21:44 , Harry Latham-CoyleA vital save from Hannah Hampton – or wasn't it? It wouldn't have made a difference anyway. The goalkeeper wouldn't have been aware that Vivianne Miedema was offside as she stretched out her left leg to block the Dutch player’s attempt at scoring.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 85-minute mark.
21:42 , Harry Latham-CoyleA second opportunity! Ayaka Yamashita comes up with a crucial save low to her left, stopping Wieke Kaptein, who has been dynamic following her entry into the game.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 84-minute mark.
21:41 , Harry Latham-CoyleChelsea are intensifying their efforts. Sandy Baltimore’s cross whizzes past the face of the Manchester City goal without any teammates ready to convert it, before Aggie Beever-Jones prompts a save.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 82-minute mark.
21:38 , Harry Latham-CoyleThis result would make for an intriguing second leg, undoubtedly. Could Manchester City manage to prevent Chelsea from experiencing their first loss of the season?
KICK FROM NOWHERE! Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, 80 minutes
21:38 , Harry Latham-CoyleRattles the crossbar! That’s as close as Chelsea have come, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd found space on the right side of the box and unleashed a shot that crashed into the woodwork. Ayaka Yamashita stood little chance, yet Manchester City managed to hold on.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 79-minute mark
21:36 , Harry Latham-CoyleVivianne Miedema lifts her hand apologetically after yanking Sandy Baltimore's legs out from under her.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 77-minute mark
21:35 , Harry Latham-CoyleChelsea haven't managed to dominate the match tonight. Despite having possession of the ball more often, they haven't put sufficient pressure onManchester City.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 74-minute mark
21:32 , Harry Latham-CoyleA further alteration for Manchester City sees Laura Blindkilde Brown, who earned her first cap for England in December, take over from Jess Park.
Hamano's initial free kick is disappointing; it's weak, low, and bounces harmlessly out of bounds, resulting in a goal kick.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 71-minute mark.
21:29 , Harry Latham-CoyleThat concludes Ramirez's evening, which was somewhat unexpectedly over. Sonia Bompastor brings in Maika Hamano now.
Offside! Manchester City leads Chelsea 1-0 with 68 minutes played.
21:28 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe ball has found the back of the net...however, Mayra Ramirez was offside! Aggie Beever-Jones gracefully glided into position and executed an elegant sidestep pass—but unfortunately, her center forward moved prematurely.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 68-minute mark
21:25 , Harry Latham-CoyleNick Cushing hollers out some directions to his team members. Meanwhile, over at the opposite dugout, Sonia Bompastor remains composed near the sidelines – although her squad will have to score an additional goal to maintain their undefeated run of 28 games since being managed by the French coach.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 64-minute mark
21:21 , Harry Latham-CoyleHere’s another opportunity for the Dutch player! Millie Bright takes control and urges the attempt, with Miedema stepping up. Hannah Hampton dives to make an impressive save.
Mary Fowler is replaced by Laura Coombs.
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea, at the 62-minute mark
21:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleIt came as somewhat of a shock that Vivianne Miedema wasn’t starting this match without Bunny Shaw present; however, Nick Cushing appreciated the impact she brought from the substitutes’ bench, which proved effective.
Chelsea won't be overly concerned, especially considering they have another match at Stamford Bridge ahead of them, yet that goal will boost the home team’s morale.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea (Vivianne Miedema, 60 mins)
21:18 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe stalemate has been ended! A vital goal from the substitute Vivianne Miedema!
It had to be her. Manchester City build pressure as Chelsea fail to clear a corner. Hannah Hampton makes an extraordinary save from a header but succeeds only in tipping on to the bar, and Miedema is on hand to volley home the rebound. What a goalscorer she is!
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 58th minute
21:16 , Harry Latham-CoyleLucy Bronze makes an essential defensive header! Kerolin surges past Millie Bright and appears to have found Vivianne Miedema, but the Lionesses' right-back clears the ball with courage.
Chelsea undergoes changes. Keira Walsh and Lauren James are leaving as Sonia Bompastor brings in new talent; Sjoeke Nusken and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd have joined the team.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 56th minute
21:14 , Harry Latham-CoyleManchester City have restricted choices for their substitutes, as Nick Cushing has selected only seven out of the allowed ten replacements—I wouldn’t expect to see goalkeeper Khiara Keating or Katie Startup getting a chance to play.
Laura Coombs appears to be warming up with great intensity.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 54 minutes
21:11 , Harry Latham-CoyleGoalless we remain, then, nearly an hour into this two-legged tie.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 53 minutes
21:10 , Harry Latham-CoyleMillie Bright just about stays with the pacey Kerolin, showing all of her intelligence and experience to time her slide and block a cross.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 51 minutes
21:08 , Harry Latham-CoyleMayra Ramirez has looked the likeliest Chelsea player to open Manchester City up, and Gracie Prior clatters through the back of the striker after being defeated by some neat feat. The resultant delivery is poor, though.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, after 48 minutes
21:05 , Harry Latham-CoyleLauren James fires a precise shot from 25 yards following a free kick that is taken quickly, but Ayaka Yamashita remains unbothered as usual, moving to her left and making the save.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, after 47 minutes
21:04 , Harry Latham-CoyleVivianne Miedema has gone up front, with Mary Fowler moving out to the left.
Second half...
21:03 , Harry Latham-CoyleAt the break from Manchester City – as expected, it’s Vivianne Miedema whom Nick Cushing calls upon to attempt breaching the Chelsea defence. Lily Murphy makes way for her substitution.
Chelsea will make a switch, too: Wieke Kaptein replaces Catarina Macario, who wasn’t at her best in the first half. Back underway.
HT: Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea
20:48 , Harry Latham-CoyleWithout any goals, and little excitement near the goal area to analyze, things remain relatively quiet. However, one positive point is that the playing surface appears satisfactory—both sides have managed some neat touches at intervals. It feels like this match might still turn around eventually. Yet, as usual with such two-leg encounters, caution prevails; each team seems reluctant to take significant risks, aware that another ninety minutes await them next week.
HT: Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea
20:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, half-time
20:46 , Harry Latham-CoyleAs we head into stoppage time towards the end of the half... or not. The board remains untouched, and that's the end of it.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 42 minutes
20:44 , Harry Latham-CoyleLily Murphy, a talented young sprinter, demonstrates her speed as she picks up momentum like shifting gears. However, Nathalie Bjorn puts an end to her charge. Meanwhile, Manchester City fails to capitalize on the resulting corner.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 40 minutes
20:41 , Harry Latham-CoyleHaving said that, there is an almost immediate lull as half time begins to loom into view.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 37 minutes
20:39 , Harry Latham-CoyleA nice tempo to this game in the last ten minutes or so. Manchester City test both edges of the Chelsea defence, before Mayra Ramirez tries to burn Laia Aleixandri, knocking it past the centre-half. It’s to no avail, with Aleixandri recovering quickly.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 35 minutes
20:36 , Harry Latham-CoyleNobody there! It’s lovely work from Mayra Ramirez, bounding beyond the Manchester City defence and attempting to pick out a teammate. Lauren James rushes up in support - too far, as it happens, with Ramirez’s pull-back evading her!
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 33 minutes
20:34 , Harry Latham-CoyleNot Sandy Baltimore’s best. Mary Fowler times her leap well to head away.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 32 minutes
20:34 , Harry Latham-CoyleA clip of the legs from Leila Ouahabi brings down Mayra Ramirez slightly softly - but a free kick is nonetheless awarded, with Chelsea’s larger lumps coming forward to contest the delivery.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 29 minutes
20:30 , Harry Latham-CoyleAnother snapshot is saved by Hannah Hampton, who is yet to be truly tested despite those couple of early sightings for Jill Roord.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 28 minutes
20:29 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe first opportunity for Lily Murphy to show off her considerable talent. She puts Lucy Bronze on her heels with a diagonal drive before moving the ball out of her feet to shoot, though is unable to generate the requisite power to really test Hannah Hampton.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 26 minutes
20:28 , Harry Latham-CoylePoor from Mary Fowler! It’s excellent pressing initially from Manchester City, drawing Millie Bright into an error, and there are four sky blue shirts pouring forward as Fowler picks up possession. Her forward ball is overhit for Kerstin Casparij, who chases it out of play.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 25 minutes
20:26 , Harry Latham-CoyleDiligent defensive work from Lauren James, who retreats to help out Sandy Baltimore as Kerolin looks to capitalise.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 23 minutes
20:24 , Harry Latham-CoyleBeever-Jones is getting going, though. She shimmies past Lily Murphy and then past two more, eventually earning a corner.
Sandy Baltimore hits a Chelsea head, but a looping effort is comfortable for Yamashita.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, after 21 minutes
20:23 , Harry Latham-CoyleAggie Beever-Jones manages to intercept a forward pass, but the 21-year-old ends up in the grasp of Ayaka Yamashita. Additionally, she was found to be offside during this play.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with 19 minutes played
20:21 , Harry Latham-CoyleImpressive defence from Gracie Prior, moving quickly to stop Mayra Ramirez from getting possession of the diagonally played ball.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with 15 minutes played
20:18 , Harry Latham-CoyleAfter an initial surge from Manchester City, Chelsea are starting to settle into the match and gain momentum.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with 13 minutes elapsed
20:14 , Harry Latham-CoyleConsecutive corner kicks. Sandy Baltimore takes the second one firmly under the control of Ayaka Yamashita.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with 12 minutes played
20:13 , Harry Latham-CoyleSuperior performance from the guests. Aggie Beever-Jones demonstrates strong speed and agility as she maneuvers past several potential tackles, and Lauren James wins a corner kick.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with 11 minutes played
20:12 , Harry Latham-CoyleWith her right foot, Fowler passes the ball to Jess Park this time, executing a shorter play. However, it doesn’t go as planned; Park tries to create an opening for a cross but ends up navigating through a crowd of players instead. Ultimately, Chelsea manage to clear the danger from their area.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with 10 minutes remaining
20:11 , Harry Latham-CoyleBright agrees to a free kick 30 yards away from the goal. Mary Fowler collapses to strike it with her right foot before switching to her left, resulting in a curled cross that wins a corner.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with 9 minutes elapsed
20:10 , Harry Latham-CoyleA chance for Jill Roord now. The tall midfield player advances and takes aim, unleashing a strong, low shot. However, Millie Bright deflects it with an ankle touch, and Hannah Hampton collects it on the second try.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with seven minutes elapsed
20:08 , Harry Latham-CoyleIt is a trifle peculiar seeing Keira Walsh in a Chelsea shirt up against her former club, and the midfielder hasn’t quite settled yet. Sandy Baltimore concedes a soft foul with Chelsea still short of fluency in these opening exchanges.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with five minutes elapsed.
20:07 , Harry Latham-CoyleChelsea are just being a touch sloppy in their own final third. Again, they give the ball away in a dangerous area with Jill Roord once more pressing well, but the Dutch midfielder is offside as Mary Fowler attempts to thread her through.
Fowler begins centrally with Jess Park positioned slightly behind, Kerolin on the right flank, and young talent Lily Murphy on the left, as far as we can tell.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, 3 minutes
20:04 , Harry Latham-CoyleLauren James is forced wide to retrieve an overhit cross, but the winger nimbly beats her defender and stands up another delivery. It’s too close to Ayaka Yamashita, who claims at head height.
Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea, with 1 minute remaining
20:03 , Harry Latham-CoyleA solid challenge from Jill Rood disrupts a Chelsea passing movement, allowing Manchester City to launch their initial attack. Kerolin’s powerful shot from 20 yards out is precise but narrowly misses the target, drawing an attentive gaze from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
KICK OFF!
20:01 , Harry Latham-CoyleManchester City get proceedings underway.
Manchester City vs Chelsea
19:56 , Harry Latham-CoyleOut the players come on to a pitch that looks rather better than the one utilised in Madrid last night.
Manchester City vs Chelsea
19:50 , Harry Latham-CoyleIt’s good to see Keira Walsh back in the Chelsea side after a frustrating injury recently, the Lionesses midfielder back among old friends having spent nine seasons at Manchester City. Can the hosts get a handle on her tonight?
Kerolin identifies areas where Manchester City need enhancement.
19:40 , Harry Latham-CoyleBrazilian striker Kerolin is set to make her first appearance in the Women’s Champions League following her move from the North Carolina Courage to Manchester City earlier this year. At 25 years old, she found some silver linings in the recent League Cup final loss but believes her team needs to be more clinical during their match tonight.
It's challenging because upon reflecting on the match, we performed quite well. We should continue with our current approach and improve our choices once we reach the attacking area. This will be key for us to secure victory by finding the back of the net.
I'm genuinely thrilled and exhilarated; it feels almost surreal. However, I must concentrate intensely on supporting my team. This is the moment to create history. We're prepared for this challenge and aim to give it our all.
Tonight's other fixture
19:30 , Harry Latham-CoyleIt seems the reigning champions are set for the quarter-finals as Barcelona has shown dominance over Wolfsburg in the initial stages of this Women’s Champions League match. They appear likely to carry a substantial first-leg lead into their home game in Catalonia. Let’s not forget that the victor from this matchup will go on to play whoever wins tonight’s contest.
Nick Cushing hopeful that playing at home makes a difference in the first leg
19:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleYou sense that securing an advantage in the first leg is crucial for Manchester City, considering their upcoming challenging match at Stamford Bridge next week. As manager Nick Cushing noted before this game, the squad has performed well in their home matches throughout the current season.
“There have been some remarkable outcomes [in our own stadium] this season,” Cushing stated. “The players defeated Barcelona at home and overcame Arsenal to reach the [League Cup] final which we recently contested. They understand their capabilities, yet genuine confidence is needed to claim titles. Once that conviction sets in, they’ll be able to string together consistent victories.”
Millie Bright shares subdued festivities following trophy win
19:10 , Harry Latham-CoyleMillie Bright has disclosed that Chelsea didn’t partake in any extravagant festivities following their victory in the cup last weekend, considering how swiftly they had to shift focus from the League Cup final to this initial leg.
There weren't many festivities," Bright confessed. "Everybody was fast asleep by 9:30 pm. I certainly was – completely exhausted! This year, we're aiming for significant goals. Claiming trophies isn’t something we hesitate to talk about.
“In every match we participate in, our mindset is focused on winning and becoming the top team, with everything geared towards achieving that ultimate objective. Honestly speaking, this season, our approach has become even more stringent than before; I wouldn’t have believed it possible for us to elevate our standards further, yet here we are.”
Lucy Bronze speaks out about autism and ADHD
19:00 , Will CastleLucy Bronze thinks her neurodiversity gave her an edge due to being diagnosed with autism and ADHD later in life.
With 22 significant titles to her credit, she has theصند England and Chelsea The star has almost claimed every major accolade in women's football, including a notable victory. Euro 2022 triumph with the Lionesses.
England player Lucy Bronze speaks about her autism and ADHD diagnoses.
Team news - Chelsea
18:50 , Harry Latham-CoyleAggie Beever-Jones and a fully fit Keira Walsh enter the starting lineup for Chelsea.
Chelsea XI: Hampton; Bronze, Bjorn, Bright (c), Baltimore; Cuthbert, Walsh; Beever-Jones, Macario, James; Ramirez.
Team updates - Manchester City
18:48 , Harry Latham-CoyleWith their two injured players out, Nick Cushing gives 19-year-old striker Lily Murphy her chance to play for Manchester City.
Manchester City XI: Yamashita; Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri (C), Ouahabi; Hasegawa, Roord, Park; Kerolin, Murphy, Fowler.
Manchester City report an injury setback before the Chelsea quarter-final clash.
18:38 , Harry Latham-CoyleWe ought to get some team updates shortly. Manchester City won’t have their key attacker Khadija Shaw nor their forward Aoba Fujino available.
Khadija Shaw's injury latest as Manchester City announce setback before Chelsea quarter-final
Ian Wright is infuriated by 'a disgrace' pitch as Arsenal loses to Real Madrid
18:20 , Harry Latham-CoyleUnfortunately, this was not the final disappointing umpiring incident of the week, as the wet conditions were heavily criticized by Ian Wright following Arsenal’s loss to Real Madrid yesterday evening.
Ian Wright expresses anger over 'disgrace' pitch as Arsenal loses to Real Madrid
'Shameful': Criticism mounts over women’s league cup final pitch as Chelsea defeats Manchester City
18:10 , Harry Latham-CoyleThe playing surface came under scrutiny after the match, drawing criticism from athletes of both sides due to its poor condition.
'Shame': Pitch of Women’s League Cup Final draws criticism as Chelsea defeats Manchester City
The crucial factor in Chelsea’s win against Manchester City during the League Cup final
18:00 , Harry Latham-CoyleLet's reflect on that League Cup final held at Pride Park. Jamie Braidwood were present to witness Sonia Bompastor and Chelsea maintain their impressive campaign:
The crucial factor behind Chelsea’s win against Manchester City provided them with significant leverage.
Manchester City versus Chelsea LIVE
17:08 , Harry Latham-CoyleIf familiarity indeed leads to contempt, then Manchester City and Chelsea might find themselves despising each other come next week. With this Women’s Champions League first-leg match being their fourth encounter in a brief period—and the visitors looking for payback following last weekend’s League Cup final loss—expect some tension building up between these two teams.
The match begins at 8pm at the Joie Stadium.