This weekend, Manchester United faced Chelsea at home, suffering a heartbreaking 0-5 defeat and leaving them with no points to speak of so far this season.
Manchester United Appear Strong
In the early moments of the match, the home side came out strong, pushing forward and making attempts at the opposition’s goal.
An early opportunity came from Terland, who had a shot on target, forcing keeper Hannah Hampton to make a save, denying the Reds the opener.
The attempt lacked strength and conviction, making the save relatively straightforward for the keeper, and keeping the match goalless in the first ten minutes.
The First Goal
The rest of the match could only be described as a disaster for Manchester United, which began with a goal from Nüsken in the 21st minute.
The assist came from Kaptein, who crossed the ball perfectly to the midfielder’s feet, setting up a comfortable goal for the Blues.
Nüsken then tapped the ball into the bottom of the goal. Although Tullis-Joyce dived to try to deny the attempt, her efforts were too little, making the scoreline 0-1.
Chelsea Score Again
The next goal came quickly after the first in the 32nd minute. This time, Keira Walsh defeated Tullis-Joyce in her 50th appearance for the Blues.
Lucy Bronze tackled the ball away from the Red Devils, before tapping it quickly to the feet of her fellow Lionesses teammate Walsh.
The midfielder then fired the ball into the bottom corner of the goal from outside the 18-yard box, expertly launching it past Manchester United’s defence.
Two Goals In Quick Succession
The beginning of the second half was slow for the first fifteen minutes, until that was quickly rectified by James and Carpenter for Chelsea in the 61st and 65th minutes.
The first goal from Lauren James came after Walsh seamlessly pushed the ball forward to her so she could tap it into the goal, placing it confidently at the back of the net.
The next, scored by Ellie Carpenter, came quickly after, when she took a shot on target, which ricocheted back to her. This allowed her another attempt, which became the Blues’ fourth goal.
Manchester United Go 0-5 Down
If their fate wasn’t sealed already, a fifth goal for Chelsea brought heartbreak for the Red Devils in the late stages of the match.
As extra time came to a close, a corner for the away side, taken by Baltimore, led to a goal for defender Lucy Bronze, who tapped the ball in at close range.
Soon after, the final whistle was blown, as Manchester United were unable to respond, allowing the West London side to walk away with a 0-5 victory.
A Worrying Performance For United
In the first two games of the season, Manchester United have demonstrated very little drive to gain points. This convincing loss was particularly scathing.
Their defence left much to be desired, as they allowed the opposition to manoeuvre into dangerous positions. Meanwhile, their forwards generated very few opportunities for themselves.
On the contrary, Chelsea demonstrated fantastic teamwork and creativity across the pitch, scoring them three points and securing their first win of the season.
Five goals from five different players highlight their fantastic range of talent, which they will hope to maintain as they set their sights on another WSL title.
