Chelsea Women

Match report

Chelsea Women recorded a 5-2 victory over Real Sociedad at Whitshiif Park on 26 August, closing out the third qualifying round of the UEFA Women's Champions League. The hosts opened the scoring through Ainhoa Marín in the eighth minute before Naomi Girma restored parity thirty minutes in. Veerle Buurman's strike in the fifty-fourth minute swung momentum firmly towards the home side.

Real Sociedad pulled one back through Cecilia Marcos fifty-eight minutes in, but Melvine Malard responded before the hour mark with her first of two goals. Lauren James added a fourth for Chelsea seventy-four minutes out and Malard completed the scoring in the eighty-eighth minute. Sandy Baltimore and Aggie Beever-Jones came on together for Chelsea at half-time, while Naomi Girma was withdrawn sixty-four minutes in.

Chelsea controlled territory with 65 per cent possession and registered 93 attacks compared to 48 for the visitors. The hosts hit the target six times from ten attempts, while Sociedad managed two shots on target from three. Five corners were level between the sides, though Chelsea's dominance in open play was evident throughout.

To be fair, the scoreline tells only part of the story. Real Sociedad showed they could threaten on the counter, but Chelsea's efficiency in the final third proved decisive. Sjoeke Nüsken and Esther Laborde Cabanillas each picked up a booking as the match tightened up towards the end.

The result leaves Chelsea Women progressing from the third qualifying round with a comfortable margin. Real Sociedad's recent form included a 2-0 win over Atlético Madrid and a 3-0 victory against Granada, but neither side could match the pace set here. Chelsea have now moved on, while Sociedad will need to regroup before the next stage.

Prepared from match data

Key numbers

Possession, % 65 – 35

Shots on target 6 – 2

Shots off target 4 – 1

Attacks 93 – 48

⚽ 8' Ainhoa Marín — Goal 🟨 24' Sjoeke Nüsken — Yellow card ⚽ 30' Naomi Girma — Goal ⚽ 54' Veerle Buurman — Goal ⇄ 55' Sandy Baltimore — Substitution ⇄ 55' Aggie Beever-Jones — Substitution ⚽ 58' Cecilia Marcos — Goal ⇄ 64' Naomi Girma — Substitution ⚽ 67' Melvine Malard — Goal ⇄ 70' Cecilia Marcos — Substitution ⚽ 74' Lauren James — Goal ⇄ 76' Lauren James — Substitution ⇄ 76' Ainhoa Marín — Substitution ⇄ 76' Ainoa Campo Franco — Substitution 🟨 83' Esther Laborde Cabanillas — Yellow card ⚽ 88' Melvine Malard — Goal ⇄ 90' Arola Aparicio — Substitution

Match events

8' 0:1 Real Sociedad Women Goal Ainhoa Marín
24' 0:1 Chelsea Women Yellow card Sjoeke Nüsken
30' 1:1 Chelsea Women Goal Naomi Girma assist: Katie McCabe
54' 2:1 Chelsea Women Goal Veerle Buurman assist: Lauren James
55' 2:1 Chelsea Women Substitution Sandy Baltimore off: Wieke Kaptein
55' 2:1 Chelsea Women Substitution Aggie Beever-Jones off: Melvine Malard
58' 2:2 Real Sociedad Women Goal Cecilia Marcos
64' 2:2 Chelsea Women Substitution Naomi Girma off: Lucy Bronze
67' 3:2 Chelsea Women Goal Melvine Malard
70' 3:2 Real Sociedad Women Substitution Cecilia Marcos off: Intza Eguiguren
74' 4:2 Chelsea Women Goal Lauren James assist: Ellie Carpenter
76' 4:2 Chelsea Women Substitution Lauren James off: Maika Hamano
76' 4:2 Real Sociedad Women Substitution Ainhoa Marín off: Nerea Eizagirre
76' 4:2 Real Sociedad Women Substitution Ainoa Campo Franco off: Esther Laborde Cabanillas
83' 4:2 Real Sociedad Women Yellow card Esther Laborde Cabanillas
88' 5:2 Chelsea Women Goal Melvine Malard
90' 5:2 Real Sociedad Women Substitution Arola Aparicio off: Ane Isasisasmendi

Statistics

65 Possession, % 35

6 Shots on target 2

4 Shots off target 1

93 Attacks 48

5 Corners 5

13 Free kicks 17

9 Offsides 1

1 Yellow cards 1

0 Red cards 0

4 Goal kicks 5

23 Throw-ins 24

All statistics

1 Blocked shots 0

0.55 Shot accuracy 0.67

Line-ups

Starting XI
#	Player	number
24	Hannah Alice Hampton	24
2	Ellie Madison Carpenter	2
4	Naomi Haile Girma	4
5	Virle Burman	5
15	Katie Alison McCabe	15
6	Sjoeke Nüsken	6
10	Lauren James	10
11	Sandy Madeleine Baltimore	11
12	A. Thompson	12
21	Keira Fae Walsh	21
33	Aggie Beever-Jones	33

Substitutes
#	Player	number
1	Livia Maïté Peng	1
38	Rebecca Spencer	38
14	Nathalie Bjorn	14
17	N. Lass	17
22	Lucia Roberta Tough Bronze	22
26	Kadeisha Buchanan	26
16	J. Dragoni	16
19	Wieke Hendrikje Maria Kaptein	19
23	M. Hamano	23
32	A. Potter	32
42	K. Sarvi	42
9	Melvine Marie Ericka Malard	9

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Real Sociedad Women

Starting XI
#	Player	number
13	Julia Arrula	13
2	Claudia Florentino	2
3	Ainhoa Vicente Moraza	3
4	Nahia Aparicio	4
5	Paula Fernández	5
20	Ainoa Campo Franco	20
22	Klara Cahynova	22
7	Laura Camino	7
8	A. Marin Martin	8
11	Cecilia Marcos	11
19	Arola Aparicio	19

Substitutes
#	Player	number
1	Alazne Estensoro	1
30	Maïté Mendiburu	30
6	E. Laborde	6
10	Nerea Eizagirre	10
17	Maren Lezeta	17
14	I. Egiguren	14

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Match prediction: Chelsea Women — Real Sociedad Women

Win: Chelsea Women

Confidence 77%

Reasoning

Средняя линия 32 букмекеров: победа Челси Женщины 1.18, ничья 6.25, победа Реал Сосьедад (жен.) 10.68
Последние 5 матчей Челси Женщины: 4 побед, 0 ничьих, 1 поражений
Последние 5 матчей Реал Сосьедад (жен.): 4 побед, 0 ничьих, 1 поражений

Full prediction

Analytical content. Not a call to gamble. 18+

Recent form

Chelsea Women

WWDWWW

Recent matches

All team matches

Real Sociedad Women

LLLDDD

Recent matches

All team matches

#	Team	P	W	D	Points
1	Lyon Women	1	1	0	3
2	Barcelona Women	1	1	0	3
3	SL Benfica	1	1	0	3
4	Arsenal Women	1	1	0	3
5	Chelsea Women	1	1	0	3
6	Inter Milan Women	1	1	0	3
7	Manchester City Women	1	0	1	1
8	Bayern Munich Women	1	0	1	1
9	Paris Saint-Germain Women	1	0	1	1
10	Real Madrid Women	1	0	1	1

Chelsea Women — Real Sociedad Women: 5:2, UEFA Champions League Women

Match report

Key numbers

Match events

Statistics

Line-ups

Chelsea Women

Real Sociedad Women

Match prediction: Chelsea Women — Real Sociedad Women

Reasoning

Recent form

Chelsea Women

Real Sociedad Women