Match ends, Reading Women 1, Chelsea Women 0.
Reading WomenReading Women1Chelsea WomenChelsea Women0
Chelsea squandered the chance to go top of the Women's Super League for the first time this season as they suffered a shock defeat by Reading.
Deanne Rose put the hosts ahead early on, breaking away on a fine solo run before trading passes with Emma Harries and slotting home.
Reading defender Gemma Evans twice cleared off the line to deny the champions a first-half equaliser.
Chelsea dominated possession after the break but failed to find an equaliser.
Victory was Reading's first against the Blues in 11 league meetings and moved them up to fifth in the table.
Defeat for Chelsea, who beat Arsenal to win the delayed 2020-21 Women's FA Cup final on Sunday before drawing with Juventus in the Champions League midweek, left them a point adrift of the Gunners at the summit.
Fresh Royals take advantage
While the trip to Reading was Chelsea's third game in seven days, the Royals had not played for three weeks since beating Brighton on 21 November before the international break.
Blues manager Emma Hayes said the fixture congestion had made it "really, really hard" for her team as they had only had one day to prepare.
"We weren't at our best. We did give opportunity to other players, and I don't think we impressed in the way that perhaps we should," she said.
However, she denied it was a missed opportunity to put pressure on the league leaders.
"It's a loss, I don't think any more into it than that," she said.
"The advantage was always with Arsenal - they were top of the league, they were a point ahead. If they win tomorrow they'll be four points ahead - of course they're in the driving seat."
Royals manager Kelly Chambers had said before the match that the break meant it was "really hard to build any kind of momentum", but it did not stop them from producing the upset of the WSL season so far.
Rose's excellent run and finish in the fourth minute proved enough to win it, but Evans' crucial interventions on the line to deny Millie Bright and Bethany England before the break and smart goalkeeping from Grace Moloney also proved decisive.
Chelsea controlled 77% of possession and had 34 shots, but only managed five on target.
Sam Kerr, who produced a stunning double against Arsenal in the FA Cup a week earlier, was guilty of wasting three headed chances, while Pernille Harder also squandered opportunities after coming off the bench.
Rose made Reading's only shot on target count in a famous win that means the Gunners can move four points clear at the top if they beat bottom side Leicester City on Sunday.
Line-ups
Reading Women
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Moloney
- 11Harding
- 27Vanhaevermaet
- 5Evans
- 2Bryson
- 4Peplow
- 9EikelandBooked at 28mins
- 28Woodham
- 12Harries
- 10Dowie
- 6RoseSubstituted forRobertsat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 31Roberts
- 32Woodcock
- 33Lister
- 35Baigent
- 36MacDonald
- 37Primmer
- 41Poulter
Chelsea Women
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Musovic
- 4Bright
- 7CarterSubstituted forCharlesat 72'minutes
- 16Eriksson
- 22Cuthbert
- 24SpenceSubstituted forKirbyat 45'minutes
- 8Leupolz
- 25AnderssonSubstituted forReitenat 45'minutes
- 17FlemingSubstituted forJiat 77'minutes
- 20Kerr
- 9EnglandSubstituted forHarderat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Nouwen
- 5Ingle
- 10Ji
- 11Reiten
- 14Kirby
- 21Charles
- 23Harder
- 29Fox
- 30Berger
- Referee:
- Louise Saunders
- Attendance:
- 742
Match Stats
Home TeamReading WomenAway TeamChelsea Women
- Possession
- Home23%
- Away77%
- Shots
- Home4
- Away34
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away5
- Corners
- Home3
- Away10
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Reading Women 1, Chelsea Women 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Niamh Charles (Chelsea Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Erin Cuthbert with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Justine Vanhaevermaet.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Guro Reiten (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Pernille Harder.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Millie Bright (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Ji So-Yun (Chelsea Women).
Post update
Chloe Peplow (Reading Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Natasha Dowie (Reading Women).
Post update
Attempt missed. Fran Kirby (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Erin Cuthbert.
Post update
Attempt saved. Pernille Harder (Chelsea Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ji So-Yun with a cross.
Post update
Attempt saved. Melanie Leupolz (Chelsea Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Millie Bright with a cross.
Post update
Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Natasha Dowie (Reading Women).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ji So-Yun.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Ji So-Yun (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Melanie Leupolz.
Post update
Offside, Chelsea Women. Melanie Leupolz tries a through ball, but Sam Kerr is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt saved. Guro Reiten (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Melanie Leupolz.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea Women. Ji So-Yun replaces Jessie Fleming.
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