Sam Kerr glanced in an 89th minute equalizer to earn Chelsea a 1-1 draw at Arsenal in front of 46,000 fans and keep them three points clear in the English Women’s Super League on Sunday.
Arsenal had gone ahead in the 57th minute when Caitlin Foord won a controversial penalty, when she appeared to be fouled just outside the box, with Kim Little converting the spotkick.
But Kerr equalized with a bullet header from Jelena Cankovic’s hopeful diagonal ball into the box to share the spoils.
Foord had a busy game for Arsenal and was lucky to avoid giving away a first-half penalty for a clumsy challenge on Niamh Charles who she bundled over. Kerr had a first-half header go wide from a corner.
Foord won the penalty which Little converted, before the Matildas forward couldn’t get enough power on a volley to double Arsenal’s lead. Foord also cut inside and sent a bouncing shot at Musovic who pushed it away.
Steph Catley‘s second-half cross almost ended up in the back of the net with Chelsea keeper Zecira Musovic flapping it onto the crossbar, before Kerr’s late intervention. Kerr, Catley and Foord all played full games.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes said of Kerr: “No one in the world can score the number of goals she has. The standout attribute is that she doesn’t lose focus at any point. She knows it takes one chance, and the ball from Jelena was world-class, so was the header.”
From @SamKerr1 to you! 😘#CFCW pic.twitter.com/Nbg5UFOzTK
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 15, 2023
Elsewhere, Alanna Kennedy was back in the heart of defence for Manchester City, playing a full game in their 1-0 win at West Ham United. Kennedy has had an injury-hit season with quad and shoulder problems in the first half of the campaign.
Mackenzie Arnold put in a full shift for the Hammers, while Mary Fowler was an unused sub and Hayley Raso was absent.
Clare Wheeler was an 87th minute substitute as Everton edged Reading 3-2, while Emily Gielnik was a 75th minute sub in Aston Villa’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham.
In Scotland’s SWPL, Jacynta Galabadaarachchi was among the scorers in Celtic’s 8-0 rout of bottom club Glasgow on Sunday.
Galabadaarachchi scored Celtic’s seventh goal in the 71st minute, rolling past the Glasgow keeper and collecting a nice throughball.
‘71 – Magnificent 7️⃣! Otto breaks the lines with a brilliant ball through for Jacynta, who runs at the onrushing keeper and sees it roll home!🎉
⚫️0-7🍀#GLACEL | #SWPL | #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/EfI01fQCsR
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) January 15, 2023
