Brilliant Blues Earn Solid Point Against Title Contenders Chelsea

Everton earned a brilliant point against title-chasing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts opened the scoring on 28 minutes via Melvine Malard, but the resilient Blues showed real character to restore parity only five minutes later as Yuka Momiki's in-swinging cross took a deflection off former-Toffee Lucy Bronze.

The result follows another terrific point claimed last week – Scott Phelan's side drawing against high-flying Manchester United at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Head coach Phelan named an unchanged XI from the side that claimed that solid stalemate against the Red Devils on Halloween.

It was the hosts who threatened first as Ellie Carpenter commenced one of her trademark bursts down the right. Upon breaching the box, she pulled the trigger from a narrow angle. Rion Ishikawa did well to track her run and block her effort, the ball hitting the side-netting.

Moments later, Malard was inches away from opening the scoring. The French forward ghosted to the back-post and seemed destined to head home from point-blank range. Fortunately, the striker misjudged the trajectory of the ball and subsequently missed the target.

Chelsea’s number nine made no mistake when presented with a second opportunity, though. Bronze headed McCabe’s clipped cross back across the face of goal, where Malard converted on 28 minutes.

The Toffees levelled only five minutes later, though, as Momiki’s dangerous ball from the left struck the boot of full-back Bronze and nestled in to the bottom left corner.

Then, the England international was in the thick of the action once more at the other end as her header rattled the crossbar five minutes later.

That concluded the action for the opening 45, with the Blues first to register an attempt following the interval. Hikaru Kitagawa sprinted down the left before sending a lofted cross in to the area. Pacheco did well to latch on to it, but could only glance agonisingly wide.

Vignola was next to try her luck after cutting-in from the left deep in to the second half. The forward’s strike whistled just wide of the far-post, with Hannah Hampton rooted to the spot.

The hosts responded as Walsh rifled an effort in to the palms of the diving Brosnan with 15 to go.

Phelan made his first change of the game with six minutes remaining as Momiki made way for Noemie Mouchon.

Galli then replaced the tireless van Gool with 90 minutes on the clock.

After four minutes of injury time, the referee concluded the clash to mark an excellent point on the board.

Next, Phelan’s side look to make it four wins from four in the Subway Players Cup on Wednesday night (7pm KO) as Durham travel to Goodison Park.

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