After being denied the opportunity to see England’s top two teams clash just before Christmas due to poor weather, 2018 and the Continental Tyres Cup has conjured up a semi-final of colossal standards. Chelsea Ladies and Manchester City Women will face each other on Sunday afternoon with a place in the final at stake.
City, the current holders of the trophy, will travel down south to Kingsmeadow to take on their closest challengers in the league. Both teams remain unbeaten in domestic competition and come into this showdown in blistering form.
Chelsea came through a hard fought contest at home to Arsenal last weekend, winning 3-2 courtesy of a late own goal. They had twice taken the lead through strikes from Maren Mjelde and Ji So-Yun, before being pegged back on both occasions. City also fared well last weekend, they beat Reading Women 5-2 with debutant Nadia Nadim scoring within six minutes of her first appearance for the club. City actually let a two goal lead slip before exerting their dominance and taking control of the game in the second half.
Chelsea and Manchester City last played each other at the beginning of last year in the Spring Series. City managed to come out on top with a narrow 1-0 victory. Unfortunately for them, that couldn’t stop Chelsea from winning that tournament with the City loss being their only loss.
There has already been much fanfare around the arrival of Nadia Nadim to British football and the Afghanistan born Danish international did not disappoint on her first appearance in England. Chelsea will have to be weary of the additional threat she brings to the Manchester City side and adapt accordingly. Chelsea have their own new signings to unleash this weekend; Jonna Andersson came on to great effect against Arsenal as it was her cross that forced the own goal that turned out to be the winner. Anita Asante was held back with this semi-final in mind and we can expect the experienced midfielder to make an appearance on Sunday.
The second semi-final in the Continental Tyres Cup will see Reading Women at home against Arsenal.