Sandy Baltimore's added-time goal sends Chelsea top of the WSL
Sandy Baltimore scored in added time at the end of the first half as Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 at Stamford Bridge. The win moved Chelsea above their visitors at the top of the Women's Super League.
The goal came in the fourth of five minutes of added time, the extra minutes a referee adds at the end of each half to make up for stoppages. Baltimore took the ball just inside the penalty area on the right, after a pass from Ellie Carpenter, and finished. It was the only shot on target in the first half, so that single moment carried the whole opening 45 minutes.
Manchester City came into the game on a long run. They had scored in each of their previous 21 games in all competitions, and they arrived after a 5-0 win over West Ham at the weekend and a 4-1 win over Inter in the Champions League. This defeat was their first of the season, and it ended the scoring run.
The two sides were close on the table before kick-off. Chelsea had 28 league goals to City's 27. Chelsea had also conceded only five league goals, which made their defence the harder side to break down.
The match turned on a red card. With just over 15 minutes left, City goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita was sent off for clattering into Alyssa Thompson. Thompson had got to a long, sideways pass from Maika Hamano, and Yamashita rushed out of her area to meet it. A straight red card means the player is sent off at once, with no yellow card first. City then had to finish the game with ten players.
Chelsea made an early change too. Kadeisha Buchanan was replaced by Veerle Buurman 12 minutes in. City made changes after the break, with Andree Jeglertz taking off Sam Coffey and Mary Fowler and bringing on Vivianne Miedema and Laura Blindkilde Brown. Miedema and Beth Mead were back in City's matchday squad on the bench after injury.
Among those watching at Stamford Bridge were Sarina Wiegman, the England head coach, along with Emma Hayes and the broadcaster Ian Wright. Wiegman and Hayes both have long links to the women's game in England, so a crowd of that kind made the afternoon feel like an event as well as a fixture.
For Chelsea, the result is a clear step forward at the top of the league. For City, it is a first defeat of the campaign, and a reminder that one moment in a half can decide a game between two strong teams.
