Chelsea held by Leicester to end 100 per cent record
Lowly Leicester held on for a much-deserved 1-1 draw to end Chelsea’s 100 per cent record under coach Sonia Bompastor.
Early substitute Missy Goodwin finished a well-worked team goal as Leicester took a shock lead after 20 minutes but the visitors’ dominance finally paid off as Wieke Kaptein’s second-half equaliser gave them a point.
Before the game, Leicester, who had lost their last six Women’s Super League games against Saturday’s opponents, began the game second-bottom only on goal difference, while Chelsea had won their first 14 games under Bompastor including nine in the league.
Chelsea top scorer Guro Reiten received treatment in the first five minutes following a collision but returned and fired a shot over the bar moments later.
Leicester lost Canada forward Deanne Rose to injury with barely 10 minutes on the clock as she was replaced by Goodwin.
Foxes goalkeeper Janina Leitzig was well placed to save in the centre of her goal after 13 minutes from a dangerous cross and Chelsea hit the crossbar through Mayra Ramirez shortly after as the chances continued flowing at the King Power Stadium.
Visiting captain Millie Bright tried her luck from distance but her shot sailed over.
Against the run of play, the home side took the lead midway through the first half from substitute Goodwin, with an emphatic finish at the far post following some good work and a perfect cross from Asmita Ale which left Hannah Hampton beaten.
England goalkeeper Hampton was called into action not long after as she parried the ball on the line before making it safe as the hosts looked to double their lead.
Leitzig was tested again just after the half-hour mark but made a diving save to keep out Chelsea after some good work from Ramirez.
The leaders began to up the tempo again 10 minutes before the break but could still not break through the stubborn home defence.
Sjoeke Nusken – with a long-range effort – was next to test compatriot Leitzig, but the former Bayern Munich stopper saved and then denied Ramirez as Leicester held on to a narrow half-time lead.
Bompastor turned to her bench at half-time, with Niamh Charles and Catarina Macario replacing Ashley Lawrence and Maika Hamano.
The away side began the second half as they ended the first, pressing and dominating but getting frustrated.
As the hour mark approached, the hosts enjoyed more of an attacking threat but both defences continue to prove tough to break down.
Chelsea continued to push for a leveller but Leicester kept their heads and finally made the ball safe after some pinball on the edge of the box.
Leicester dealt with Lucy Bronze’s dangerous ball into the area and seconds later, Aggie Beever-Jones could only head Kaptein’s quick cross wide of the target.
The equaliser finally arrived through Netherlands midfielder Kaptein after 77 minutes as she sent a thunderbolt into the bottom corner from just outside the 18-yard box, beating the diving Leitzig after an uncontested driving run.
Chelsea continued to press as they searched for a late winner but the home defence was equal to their threat going forward.
Ramirez was thwarted again before Alejandra Bernabe nodded wide late on, with a last-gasp save from Leitzig keeping things level as the spoils were shared.
