Arsenal Keep Their Perfect Start Alive at Chelsea's Expense
Blackstenius' Late Header secures 1-0 Victory in London Derby
Super League Title Race Tightens as Chelsea Suffers First Loss
Arsenal maintained their flawless start to the 2023-24 Women's Super League season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Molineux. The Gunners, who have won all seven of their opening matches, relied on a late header from Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius to secure the crucial three points in this fiercely contested London derby.
The match was an intense affair from start to finish, with both teams creating chances throughout the game. Arsenal looked particularly dangerous in the first half, with Vivianne Miedema hitting the post and Nikita Parris forcing a brilliant save from Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger. However, Chelsea grew into the game in the second half and thought they had taken the lead when Sam Kerr tapped home from close range, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
As the match entered the closing stages, it looked like the spoils would be shared. However, Arsenal found a dramatic winner in the 116th minute. A scramble in the Chelsea penalty area saw the ball fall to Blackstenius, who showed great composure to head into the bottom corner and spark jubilant celebrations among her teammates.
Chelsea's defeat is a blow to their title hopes, as they now trail Arsenal by three points at the top of the table. It also ends their impressive unbeaten run in the Women's Super League, which had stretched back to the beginning of last season.
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