waiting for the champions. Chelsea defeated Arsenal 2-0 at Kingsmeadow to claim the Women's Super League trophy.
If Manchester United loses to Manchester City this evening, the league's probably most thrilling title chase might come to an end. Emma Hayes' team will undoubtedly win their fourth straight league championship; the question is when, not if. Even if they have to wait a another six days, it seems clear that Chelsea will defeat last-place Reading the following Saturday.
It was appropriate that Magdalena Eriksson, the leaving captain, scored the game-winning goal just before halftime in her final Kingsmeadow appearance to make it 2-0. Guro Reiten had earlier started the scoring. Eriksson and Pernille Harder, her partner and teammate, announced earlier this week that they would be departing the club this summer.
Given that they are three points clear of City in third place, Arsenal will also be following the Manchester derby with interest. If United lost, the race for Champions League football would be close. Arsenal had not lost to Chelsea in the league in their previous three games, and it appeared as though their injury problem had finally caught up to them. To put it mildly, their defending for both goals was atrocious. This was likely due to their bodies and minds being worn out from the challenging campaign.
Stina Blackstenius gave Arsenal the game's first significant opportunity, forcing Ann-Katrin Berger to make a fantastic stop at her near post. However, Chelsea scored in the middle of the first half.
Deliveries by Eve Perisset
At the start of the second half, Harder was twice denied a send-off goal. First, Zinsberger stopped her powerful shot at the near post, and then Katie McCabe cleared her header off the line.
When Sophie Ingle used her hand to stop McCabe's shot, giving referee Abigail Byrne no choice but to signal to the penalty spot, Arsenal had a chance to get back into the game. Janina Leitzig of Leicester stopped McCabe's penalty attempt earlier in the month, but she missed this time. That error may have captured Arsenal's season. Near yet not quite close enough.
blogpay
