Chelsea lost a third consecutive Continental Cup final as Stina Blackstenius scored the only goal late in extra time to ensure Arsenal retained the trophy. A tense match at Wolves’ Molineux was overshadowed by Frida Maanum’s collapse towards the end of normal time, but Arsenal rallied after a long stoppage to find a winner.
The match could have marked the final meeting between coaches Jonas Eidevall and Emma Hayes, and tensions spilled over when Hayes gave Eidevall a little nudge when he went to shake his hand at the final whistle.
Hayes then spoke forcefully about how Eidevall had acted, referring to how he had behaved towards Erin Cuthbert, Chelsea’s captain that day, during the match.
“It is essential that we set an example in the right way, but I am not in favor of male aggression on the touchline and in front of players. This is unacceptable. I was disappointed and told Jonas. I don’t think it’s acceptable to behave like this.
“He received a yellow card and probably should have been sent off. I’m all for competing to win, (but) I’ve never been booked in 12 years. I accept that he is a winner but his behavior was not acceptable.
Eidevall objected, saying his frustration during the match stemmed from a disagreement over whether to play a multi-ball system for the final. Chelsea had called for a one-ball system, but as time ticked down and they looked for an equalizer, Cuthbert went for a different ball to get the action underway again quickly.
“I don’t see it as a big thing,” he said. “I certainly don’t consider myself aggressive in this situation. It’s very irresponsible to put that label on it.
The incident is another chapter in what has been a fascinating rivalry between the two managers, where the off-field gybes have been almost as eye-catching as the on-field confrontations. After two games this season where one manager had clearly established himself, it was fitting that their potential final encounter was more of a chess match, with both teams looking nervous about making mistakes early on.
Eidevall has a history when it comes to how he acts on the sidelines.
His Manchester City counterpart Gareth Taylor accused him of ‘bullying’ the fourth official following his side’s 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the WSL in November, although there was no mention of the behavior from Eidevall in the referee’s post-match report.
There was also an incident during Eidevall’s first season at Arsenal when he shouted in the face of Manchester United striker Martha Thomas during a Continental Cup match, after a perceived high challenge . The FA refused to charge him for his behavior.
Hayes’ reaction yesterday marked a rather ignominious end to his quest for a quadruple in his final season with Chelsea. Regardless of Eidevall’s actions during the match, she still pushed the opposing coach, and there are question marks over her decisions during the match as well. Although Chelsea played their eighth game of the month, against Arsenal’s fifth, Hayes made just two substitutions before Arsenal’s goal, with the opposition looking noticeably fresher as the game became increasingly transitional .
This is also Hayes’ second high-profile incident of the month, after he called relationships between players “inappropriate.” Hayes later said she regretted her choice of words.
There is no doubt that being Chelsea manager is a high-pressure job, exacerbated by the desire to succeed in her final season, but the American role, which she begins in early June, is the most demanding in women’s football.
The attention paid to Hayes will not diminish when his time at Chelsea ends.
What you may have missed
All four Championship promotion contenders won this weekend, with Sunderland’s 3-0 defeat of Watford retaining their top spot under pressure from second-placed Crystal Palace, whose 5-1 win at Durham kept them one point behind with a match in hand.
Four points separate Sunderland, Palace, Southampton and Charlton Athletic. With three games remaining and all four teams having lost at least once in their last five games, there could be many more twists and turns to come.
Women’s championship table
Team | pld | DG | Points | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Sunderland |
20 |
14 |
40 |
2 |
Crystal Palace |
19 |
32 |
39 |
3 |
Southampton |
20 |
14 |
36 |
4 |
Charlton Athletic |
19 |
ten |
36 |
Player of the week
Ella Toone continued her up-and-down season for Manchester United by scoring two big goals in their 4-1 win over Everton.
The visitors took the lead in the 10th minute when Dutch striker Katja Snoeijs latched onto a poor pass from Maya Le Tissier to goalkeeper Mary Earps. It took United a while to get back into the game – Millie Turner didn’t score the equalizer until the 57th minute – but two Toone goals in five minutes soon after secured victory.
Sunday’s double means Toone is the first United Women’s player to reach 50 goals for the club.
Goal of the week
No one should have been surprised to see a bunny take center stage over Easter weekend, but Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s spectacular goal for Manchester City in their 4-1 away win over Liverpool was an effortless reminder of his genius.
Shaw may be known for her dominance in the penalty area, but this showed her technical best as she controlled a bouncing ball outside the box and cut past a defender, before firing a shot into the upper right corner.
This means Shaw has contributed goals in his last nine WSL appearances. With 19 goals scored and four games remaining, she has a chance of breaking the competition record of 22 in a single season, set by Vivianne Miedema in 2018-19 and matched by Rachel Daly last season.
Time of the week
Aston Villa equalized late against Leicester City to draw 2-2.
It was Leicester’s first match since manager Willie Kirk was sacked following an investigation by the club into an alleged relationship between him and one of their players.
Villa had taken the lead through Adriana Leon, but poor defending – including conceding a high turnover – saw them trail 2-1 with 15 minutes to play. But a smart finish from Rachel Daly brought them back level as she contorted to volley over Jordan Nobbs’ cross.
Daly has struggled to replicate her form from last year as her expected goals (xG) outperformance for 2022-23 has regressed, but she has helped her team to a degree here.
Elsewhere in Europe
Bayern Munich set up a final with Wolfsburg in Germany’s DFB-Pokal but needed penalties to beat Eintracht Frankfurt. The league leaders took the lead in the fourth minute thanks to a Georgia Stanway penalty but Geraldine Reuteler equalized for Frankfurt. Wolfsburg beat Essen 9-0 in the other semifinal.
In Spain, Barcelona got revenge on Levante by being the only team to hold them to a draw in the league this season by beating them 5-0. That gave Madrid CFF the opportunity to take pole position for the final Champions League spot, but a surprise 3-0 defeat to Granada means just one point separates the three clubs chasing third place.
And after?
The players now depart for an international break, which includes the start of the 2025 European Championship qualifying competition for UEFA teams.
Defending champions England host Sweden, who they beat in the semi-finals en route to that triumph two years ago, at Wembley in their first group match on Friday, before traveling to Dublin for face the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday. France is the other team in its group.
(Top photo: Getty Images)