One-Nil Desperandum

 

Hopperational Details
Dates & Venues	Tue 22 & Wed 23 September 2026 at Boreham Wood FC & AFC Wimbledon FC respectively
Results	Arsenal 1 HB Køge 0 Chelsea 1 Austria Wien 0
Competition	Women’s Champions League Group Stage
Hopstats	Neither are new grounds on my lifetime list. My fifth and third visits respectively.
Context
First games of the group stage for both teams. England’s third entrant, Manchester City, drew 2-2 away at Bayern Munich in the same competition. Chelsea got here through a qualification route in which they comfortably saw off Real Sociedad
Match Reports
Both games have been well covered already including live TV coverage so I am restricting myself to headlines and comment. Arsenal needed a stoppage time penalty from substitute Mariona Caldentey to get this win. The Danish team had defended valiantly as Arsenal, not for the first time this season, struggled to turn their dominance into goals. Chelsea won with an early goal from Wieke Kaptein, and a very satisfying in-off-the-bar thunderbolt it was too. However, similarity in scoreline does not really tell the whole story. Both sides had attempted to rest a number of key players ahead of their league showdown this coming weekend.   Arsenal’s style is predominantly patient, possession-controlling with repeated recycling of the ball across the back line and midfield. Their excellent support, much the best numerically of any in the women’s game at the moment, has learned to be patient. The strength in depth of their squad is bound to mean that they will be challenging for honours again this season. Keeping all those internationals and future internationals happy is going to be more of a problem. Meadow Park had just under 2000 in attendance. A lot of teams will be setting up defensively against them and maybe there is a debate to be had about playing more of a percentage game and getting the ball into danger areas quicker. I don’t by any means study football tactics and stats in detail, so I don’t have a strong view. All I can say is that from the point of view of the passing neutral, this was compelling entertainment with a late dramatic twist. Chelsea are equally capable of that same style but on this occasion they were often more direct, using Melvine Malard as a back-to-the-goal target. Kaptein’s goal was well executed, but then the evening got more and more tense. Chelsea lost Keira Walsh to injury, and the game was probably more open than they would have wanted. Austria Wien showed some attacking ambition and they had some really clear chances. The final whistle was something of a relief for the home side and just under 1000 supporters. There were just a few rumblings of discontent near the end, directed at the management. Again, the sheer depth of their squad means that Chelsea will be up there in the trophy hunt. The ground felt a lot more empty though the core support kept up a decent string of songs occasionally orchestrated by Basil the well-known superfan. Fair play to him. Again, a good watch for the neutral with the result right in doubt to the very end. I suspect Chelsea fans are more frustrated than Arsenal’s this morning. So, both teams have three points from a group stage game, with some rested players and some minutes for squad players. Job done. Enough positives to take. Some of the other French and Spanish sides were piling up goals elsewhere so there are much, much sterner tests ahead. The next one is on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. The result of that game might arguably already decide one of the automatic Champions League spots for next season.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Meadow Park – Grey beats Green, with a clean sheet. Wimbledon – Green beats Orange, with a clean sheet. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win & Home Win Was the prediction correct? Yes & Yes % of correct predictions so far 48% (111 from 230)
What Next?
Something (as yet undecided) on Saturday before the aforementioned WSL clash between Chelsea & Arsenal women on Sunday. I will certainly try to get to some more midweek women's euro games if work commitments allow. Stamford Bridge is to host the "home" games for Shaktar Donetsk of Ukraine in the weeks and months ahead if anyone is looking for a novel way to tick off that ground in their 92!