Chelsea secured a vital win in their Women’s Champions League clash with Celtic, but not before a brief moment of alarm for the Super League giants. Celtic’s Murphy Agnew delivered a shock 22nd-minute goal, giving the Scottish side a historic lead and a glimmer of hope against the elite English club. However, Chelsea responded swiftly, overturning the deficit by halftime with two goals in quick succession, before wrapping up the match in a comfortable 3-1 victory.
Despite the defeat, Celtic, who had more than 7,000 fans in attendance, can take pride in their performance. Their first-ever goal in the Champions League proper was a moment to celebrate, and they were able to keep Chelsea at bay for much of the first half. Celtic’s lead came after a brilliant pass from Amy Gallacher found Agnew, who evaded the Chelsea defense with impressive pace and composure to flick the ball past goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.
However, Chelsea quickly regrouped after the setback. Maika Hamano’s equalizer came from a well-constructed move, although Celtic goalkeeper Kelsey Daugherty will be disappointed that she allowed the ball to slip through her hands and into the net. Despite that error, Daugherty had an impressive moment later in the first half, producing a fine save from Erin Cuthbert’s shot.
The game swung further in Chelsea’s favor when Ashley Lawrence capitalized on the rebound from Daugherty’s save to put the visitors ahead. With Celtic now trailing, Chelsea’s quality began to show as they turned up the pressure in the second half. Head coach Sonia Bompastor made several tactical changes, including bringing on Lucy Bronze and Catarina Macario, in an attempt to kill off the game. It was clear that Chelsea was aiming to deliver a knockout blow, but Celtic remained resolute in defense, and goalkeeper Daugherty made several more saves to keep the scoreline within reach.
However, Celtic could not maintain their defiance, and Chelsea continued to apply relentless pressure. Although Celtic had a few counter-attacks, they were unable to find the crucial goal that might have kept the contest alive. The match was marred slightly by a red card for Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones in stoppage time after she received a second yellow card for re-entering the field without permission.
Despite the loss, Celtic can look forward to the future with optimism. Their performance showed that they are beginning to find their feet at this level of competition, although their struggle to balance domestic and European commitments was evident. Head coach Elena Sadiku expressed disappointment that they didn’t get more from the game, but praised her team for executing the game plan effectively. The team now turns their attention to their upcoming Old Firm clash against rivals Rangers, hoping to bounce back with confidence.
For Chelsea, the win keeps them on track in the Champions League, but manager Bompastor will no doubt expect more clinical finishing in future matches. With tougher challenges on the horizon, Chelsea must tighten their play and be more efficient in front of goal if they are to make a real impact in this season’s tournament.
