Chelsea and Manchester United each maintained their unbeaten beginnings to the WSL season, although the title holders' perfect winning record was stopped by an entertaining encounter between the leading teams.
This outcome prolonged United's frustratingly long drought for a first Women's Super League victory over the Blues but they will have taken great encouragement from their display, on a night when both teams created numerous chances to claim victory and the home side demonstrated they could very well have the qualities to launch a genuine championship bid.
High-Intensity Opening Sees Early Goals
For a game contested between the teams with the top two defence records in the WSL last term, and which had conceded the least scores so far this campaign before the start, the game started in a surprisingly end-to-end fashion as each pushed forward from the outset.
The contest opened at such a fast pace that it could easily have been 2-2 inside the opening moments, with the goalkeeper saving with her legs from the forward, Macario's effort being deflected by Le Tissier, Jess Park shooting narrowly over the crossbar and then Aggie Beever‑Jones following suit when she looked likely to find the net.
The visitors then score the opener the initial flurry of attacks had threatened, as Wieke Kaptein connected with Macario's clever back-heeled ball and slotted in a precise, clinical shot into the bottom into the side of the net, as the hosts let in a league score for only the second time this season.
Anna Sandberg's Stunning Leveler
Manchester United had lost 10 of their previous 11 WSL meetings with Chelsea, but this confident version of Skinner's side were unwilling to surrender.
Inspired by the dribbling of Park, who appeared intent to dance her way past as numerous opposition players as she could and was the engine of her team's adventurous play, they persisted to create opportunities and they were quickly level when Anna Sandberg scored her first goal for the club.
She could not have caught her strike any better, angling her foot perfectly over the ball to drive a half-volley forcefully past the keeper from just outside the area.
Respectful Atmosphere Amid Bad Weather
The game was played during inclement weather, which produced swirling rain and gusts of breeze, and commenced with a moment of reflection after the tragic incident on a place of worship in Manchester on the previous day, with the home side also wearing black armbands as a mark of respect.
Furthermore, both sets of teams joined together in a group pre-match against racial discrimination at the beginning of this important period, in a time when the Peterborough United player Rai experienced racist abuse.
The England and Tottenham forward Jessica Naz was the victim of abuse on the internet over a week earlier.
Improved United Challenge the Champions
The match took place at the ground where the Blues clinched the previous campaign's title, with a one-nil victory in a fixture that had been fairly even.
However, this appears to be a much-improved United team from that time, however, and they persisted to pose a danger in the second half, with Fridolina Rolfö's redirected effort looping on to the upper part of the crossbar before Park's curling effort flew just over.
Melvine Malard, on as a substitute, dragged a ground-level shot off target with over twenty minutes left to play.
Closing Drama Sees Division of Spoils
Skinner had stated on Wednesday that he wanted his team to be brave and “show Chelsea that you can defeat them”, and they certainly seemed to respond to his rallying cry as they continued to play with energy and attacking intent, while Chelsea stayed threatening at the other end too, with Aggie Beever-Jones going near.
So great was the extent of the test Chelsea were being faced with, there was even a uncommon moment of frustration from Sonia Bompastor, with the Chelsea manager given a caution in the second half after she bemoaned a free-kick call against her side.
The Blues' Sjoeke Nüsken bent an effort just wide of a upright as the visitors started to look for a last-gasp decisive goal, and Alyssa Thompson was nearly able to race forward on to a loose pass within the penalty area but she was tackled by the alert United goalkeeper Tullis-Joyce, who then dived low to her left to keep out a Keira Walsh shot shortly later.
Guro Reiten had a attempt deflected in added time, as increasing visiting attacks intensified, but in the end a draw was a relatively fair outcome and prepares the round's action up perfectly before the remaining title contenders, City and the Gunners, face off on Saturday.
They will be eager to capitalise on Chelsea and Manchester United splitting a result, with City in a position to move to within a point of the top team if they are victorious.
