Chelsea Ladies face Rosengard under the floodlights at Kingsmeadow this week as the Women’s Champions League hots up.
Having edged past Bayern Munich in the last phase of the European competition, the Swedish team face the Blues on Wednesday (November 8) at 7.05pm. Tickets remain on sale until mid-afternoon on matchday (details at www.chelseafc.com).
Chelsea go into the game on the back of a tense 2-1 Continental Tyres Cup victory at Bristol City at the weekend… a result which was only clinched with a last-minute penalty.
Once again, Eni Aluko was on target for the Blues, but a Bristol equaliser meant the match seemed destined to be settled from the penalty spot.
And it was, but not in a shoot-out. When Karen Carney was fouled in stoppage time, she converted the resulting penalty.
“A lot of players were below their high level, but we drove on,” said relieved manager Emma Hayes at the whistle. “We were not at our best at all, and there were some poor performances, but we showed character after we had conceded the equaliser.”
Wednesday night’s European match at Kingsmeadow is the first of a two-legged affair which, if successful, will keep the Blues in contention for glory until after Christmas.
Hayes will expect greater focus from her players against Rosengard, knowing that a tricky second leg awaits a week later in Sweden.