Thank you so much for joining me for this match this evening, Chelsea are yet to do anything but win in all competitions so far this season and they keep the ball rolling with a 3-1 result against Twente. Read the report below for all the action. We’ll be back with Women’s Champions League action on 12 November and we will be across the WSL this weekend. See you soon.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/oct/17/twente-chelsea-womens-champions-league-match-report
In the other 8pm BST kick-off, Lyon have made a statement with a 2-0 win over Wolfsburg. Wendie Renard and Lindsey Horan scored in a great win for the European giants.
A fun fact for you, the penalty for Guro Reiten tonight was her 50th goal for Chelsea.
Ravensbergen had a chance right at the end there, I think she has done enough to win a starting shirt next time out.
Full time: Twente 1-3 Chelsea
Chelsea’s winning start to the season continues with goals from Aggie Beever-Jones, Maika Hamano and a penalty from Guro Reiten sees them top the group. Twente, who are in the group stage for the first time, had a good performance and they will fancy their chances of getting out of this group. The top two teams will progress and Twente are currently level on points with Real Madrid, Celtic are bottom.
90 + 3 min: Ramirez is found and she looked offside but it takes a while for the official to raise the flag, just before she was going to pull a trigger on her shot the whistle is blown.
90 + 2 min: Beever-Jones makes a good run into the box but she decides to keep a hold of the ball instead of laying it off to Ramirez and she is crowded out. The wrong option there from the England international.
90 + 1 min: There will be four minutes added.
90 min: Here Chelsea come, can they find a fourth? No they can’t as Twente clear it and try to counter which doesn’t quite come together.
88 min: Chelsea pass it back to Musovic multiple times but they then lose it in a dangerous position. Ivens, again, is all over the visitors but Mpome dispossess her.
86 min: Twente make another change with Te Braeke off for Proost. Chelsea really winding down the clock now, some good game management.
84 min: Possession is exchanging hands quite frequently now with Twente the next with an impressive play. Ivens, who is just 16-years-old, makes a phenomenal run to beat two Chelsea players but her resulting cross is cleared.
82 min: Beever-Jones wanted a free kick there but it isn’t given. Cuthbert wins it back in the midfield though as Chelsea continue to soak up pressure to see this victory out.
80 min: Twente make another change with Andradottir off for Ravensbergen.
79 min: A lovely bit of play between Beever-Jones and Ramirez but the Colombian’s resulting cross is cut out and Twente look to counter. They can’t move it quickly and so their attack stalls, eventually Chelsea manage to wrestle it back and clear.
77 min: Chelsea had faded slightly after conceding but they are slowly building back their dominance of possession, the game is basically sewn up now anyway. But who knows, if Twente score next anything could happen.
75 min: Twente have come alive since scoring, they look much more confident with the front foot. If they started the game like this who knows what the score would be. The hosts make a double change with Van Dooren and Peddermors off for Ivens and Holst.
73 min: Peter Chapman has emailed and said:
Guro Reiten is such a reliable penalty taker.
I completely agree, Peter. You can see why she is the chosen taker for the club.
72 min: Cuthbert has a looping ball back and it is almost a howler from the Scotland international but Bjorn manages to clear. Some sloppiness coming into Chelsea’s game.
70 min: Bartel is on for her first minutes for Chelsea, she comes on for Kaptein.
69 min: Twente did deserve something from this match after their efforts and Van Dijk put in a the perfect run to receive the ball and slot it passed Musovic.
GOAL! Twente 1-3 Chelsea (Van Dijk, 68)
A great goal.
67 min: Chelsea are firmly in the driving seat now but that doesn’t mean they aren’t taking their eye off the wheel in certain moments. Twente have certainly had their chances and if they had taken them, while I don’t think they would be ahead, they definitely would have landed a few punches.
65 min: Reiten came on just after half-time by the way, apologies for not slotting in that update. Twente are looking to immediately strike back with Van Dooren taking a shot but Musovic saves.
PENALTY! Twente 0-3 Chelsea (Reiten, 62)
Reiten is booed before she takes it but she composes herself, takes a run up and scores.
Updated
62 min: Penalty for Chelsea after Ramirez is fouled in the box! Just a moment after Twente had a chance.
60 min: There are so many good things about this Twente side but their lack of connectivity and communication has really let them down. Chelsea make changes with Jean-Francois off for Cuthbert and Kaneryd is off for Ramirez.
58 min: It is end-to-end here as Chelsea come forward again, Kaneryd crosses but Clark gets there first.
56 min: Peddermors sets a light for Twente but her cross has too much on it and the chance is gone, Twente are really posing a threat at times and it’s clear to see how they beat Celtic last week. Their match again Real Madrid will be an interesting watch.
54 min: Hamano is having a game so far, she gets in a great position and lines it up but it is just wide. She is a live wire so far, really putting her hand up for more game time.
52 min: Twente are getting chances in this encounter, they just can’t seem to turn it home, the ball this time peeled back to Van Dooren but Musovic saves quite easily.
50 min: Dave has got in touch and asked for an update on Lauren James, who was a late change in the starting team. He wonders if there’s trouble in camp with James but I do not think that is the case at all. Such a late change will be something like injury or illness. Chelsea have not confirmed what happened as of yet.
49 min: Twente really need to be the next to score in this match but they just can’t seem to get a foothold at the moment.
47 min: Chelsea start the half just as the did the first with upbeat energy.
Back underway: Twente 0-2 Chelsea
So can Twente stage a huge comeback? Or will Chelsea top the group after two games? All to come. Beever-Jones remains.
Two games have already taken place today with Real Madrid beating Celtic 4-0 and Galatasaray losing 6-1 to Roma. In the other 8pm BST kick-off, Lyon lead Wolfsburg after a header by Wendie Renard.
Here are the goals from the game so far:
🔵 Aggie Beever-Jones on the mark for The Blues early on in Enschede!
— DAZN Women's Football (@DAZNWFootball) October 17, 2024
Watch live for free on DAZN ▶️ https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv #UWCL #UWCLonDAZN pic.twitter.com/QBQMyHisYP
😱 MAIKA HAMANO WITH HER GOLAZO OF THE NIGHT!
— DAZN Women's Football (@DAZNWFootball) October 17, 2024
Watch live for free on DAZN ▶️ https://t.co/dIfKpURfZv#UWCL #UWCLonDAZ pic.twitter.com/Vxp3wgZ70f
Beever-Jones does not look comfortable, I wouldn’t be surprised if she is changed at half-time.
Half-time: Twente 0-2 Chelsea
The corner comes to nothing and we’ve reached the break of a enthralling half. Chelsea are in cruise control and on their way to the top of their group after goals from Aggie Beever-Jones and Maika Hamano. I will grab clips of both goals to show you momentarily.
45 + 1 min: There will be one minute added and Chelsea have a corner.
44 min: It ends in a goal kick but this has certainly been 90% Chelsea so far.
43 min: Perisset drifts the ball across goal but no one is there to turn it in and so Clark can collect. Twente decide to play from the back which backfires as they send it into the stands to give the Blues another platform.
41 min: It is quite scary to think of the players Chelsea could bring on in the second half: Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Guro Reiten. So far they don’t need them with the star-filled starting XI doing just fine on their own.
39 min: Quite the pun from Peter on email:
Question about leadership potential. Is Chelsea’s Wieke Kaptein material?
You joke but I could see it!
37 min: I think one of them is reading my blog because since my last post Twente have retained possession and played some slick football. They are just missing the final pass to create a chance.
35 min: Chelsea keep knocking on the door and the latest chance comes from Kaneryd but Clark collects. While Twente have not been really poor, they need more of the ball. They’ve only really had one convincing chance so far.
33 min: Tuin reads a Chelsea pass well to thwart their latest chance but then Andradottir fouls Buchanan and so the Blues have a chance to strike again.
31 min: Chelsea have taken some of the speed out of this game as they patiently build-up to their latest attempt. It comes to Baltimore down the left who has her cross blocked.
29 min: Chelsea have a corner and the delivery is a good one, it comes to Beever-Jones but her header is over the bar. It doesn’t feel like we have had a moment to breathe in this encounter yet. It’s all go, go, go. Hamano the standout player so far.
27 min: Musovic is forced into a save after Van Dijk pounces on a Chelsea defensive error, the Blues not well drilled. It went out for a corner, the cross is a good one but Carleer can’t steer it on target.
25 min: Chelsea do an awful job of clearing the ball in the box, it takes several attempts to clear the danger and despite the scoreline Twente feel bang up for this. The hosts get in a great position once again and Peddermors takes an effort but it is over the bar.
23 min: Perisset, who is starting a match for the first time this season, pops a cross in but Clark collects. The camera then pans to Beever-Jones who is hobbling slightly but there is no hint of her being subbed.
21 min: This game is giving me the same feeling as when I try to pat my head and rub my stomach, too much happening all at once. Twente have their first chance in their half and Bjorn clears before it can reach Van Dijk.
19 min: Hamano spotted Clark off of her line and takes a long range effort and there was nothing the keeper could do. An absolute screamer, sumptuous yet frantic football from the visitors.
Updated
GOAL! Twente 0-2 Chelsea (Hamano, 18)
Oh my word.
Updated
17 min: Chelsea work it into the box and it comes to Hamano, she takes a touch and pulls the trigger but it is just over the bar. The Blues are not relenting and they are there again. Beever-Jones takes a punt but Hamano’s header is over the bar. A nice side note, Sarina Wiegman is in the crowd for this one.
15 min: It has been slightly frantic from both sides since the goal. Chelsea haven’t taken the game by the scruff of the neck with a stop start nature to the encounter so far.
13 min: Kaneryd has a great run and crosses perfectly to Beever-Jones but her effort is way over the bar. That attempt felt slightly rushed when she could have taken her time there.
11 min: Joe Pearson has emailed and said:
You’re my only eyes on this match, as I can’t get into DAZN for some reason. No pressure. As for snacks, well it’s mid-afternoon here, so all I have is a nice glass of Chardonnay. But I did have a pretty good Thai papaya salad for lunch a while back.
I take the pressure in my stride and I love the sound of your snacks. Just a tip about DAZN, you may have to download the app to watch if you are on your phone. Back to the action and Chelsea are really dominating since scoring.
9 min: It is James who is not playing for Chelsea tonight now with Kaneryd on the pitch. No official news yet but as soon as I hear any I will keep you updated.
8 min: I am unsure if that will go down as a Beever-Jones goal or an own goal as it did take a big deflection. But I think that was commentators curse, I said Twente was going well and then they concede.
GOAL! Twente 0-1 Chelsea (Beever-Jones, 6)
A deflected screamer.
6 min: Gordon has got in touch and shared his snack chat:
Just saw your “shout out” about snacks - as an older person, under doctor’s orders to lose weight, I’m afraid my snack these days is baby carrots - but they are slightly sweet in taste.
Baby carrots are an amazing snack, might take that for the next game I watch.
Back to the game and the hosts are really well drilled defensively so far.
Updated
4 min: Carleer does some good early defensive work as the visitors look to strike early. Chelsea aren’t fading rom this attack though but Beever-Jones’ pass is intercepted and cleared. I am so confused about the Chelsea team, the one they announced on social channels is different to the one they have fielded and gave WCL organisers. No injury news to report.
2 min: There has been no official announcement on Chelsea’s channels at the moment, I will keep my eye out but Kaneryd is definitely on the pitch.
Kick-off: Twente 0-0 Chelsea
Here we go then. It looks like Chelsea have made a late change as Kaneryd is on the pitch. I will investigate and see who that was for.
The players will be out on the pitch shortly before kick-off at 8pm BST. Can Chelsea keep their winning momentum going? Or can Twente cause an upset? All to come.
I’d love to hear from you and I particularly love a bit of snack chat. Let me know what you are treating yourself to while watching the game. For me tonight it’s salted popcorn. You can get in touch via email or X (@rendellx).
An interesting watch:
Wieke previews tonight's game against her former club, @FCTwenteVrouwen. 🗣️#UWCL pic.twitter.com/MdwQ1XWR7m
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) October 17, 2024
Twente coach Joran Pot said before the game: “We are the underdogs, it’s as simple as that, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a chance. We’re excited to have an opponent of this calibre – it shows that we’re making great strides. If we play to our potential, we can make it difficult for Chelsea. It’s about executing the small things we’ve discussed well.”
Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan said: “The past few seasons have been challenging, but I’m improving on and off the pitch. This might be my best season yet, but I know there’s more to come. It’s great to have [former Lyon team-mate] Lucy [Bronze] back [in England]. We’ve both grown as players, and our partnership feels strong. Communication has been key as we adapt to the new coach and style.”
Catarina Macario will not be a part of Chelsea’s squad in today’s match as she continues to build fitness. Macario suffered a knee irritation in the summer. Manager Sonia Bompastor said: “We are building some minutes and building her fitness. That’s part of the plan and part of her own process. We work a lot individually with every player and we try to give them what they need to be fit and back to the best level, or their best version. We just felt it was the good decision to have her stay in London, working individually with some staff, and she will be ready for the game on Sunday.”
Updated
Two other English clubs were in action in the Women’s Champions League last night and they both came away with wins. Arsenal beat Vålerenga 4-1, while Manchester City escaped a scare in their 3-2 win over St Polten. You can read both reports:
The team news is in. Twente have named a strong side including their captain Danique van Ginkel.
Twente: Clark, Vliek, Carleer, Knol, Tuin, Te Braeke, Van Dooren, Van Ginkel, Andradottir, Van Dijk, Peddemors.
Subs: De Jong, Bussman, Vissers, Evaraerts, Bormans, Hulst, Ravensbergen, Proost, Oude Elberink, Verdaasdonk, Galic, Ivens.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have benched several stars including Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze.
Chelsea: Musovic, Perisset, Buchanan, Bjorn, Lawrence, Kaptein, Jean-Francois, Baltimore, Hamano, James, Beever-Jones.
Subs: Cox, Hampton, Bright, Nusken, Ramirez, Cuthbert, Reiten, Bartel, Kaneryd, Bronze, Mpome.
Updated
Preamble
Hello and welcome back to the Women’s Champions League group stage. Tonight we will be focusing on Twente’s match against Chelsea. The European trophy is the one which has evaded the Blues throughout their history and they will be hoping they can claim it this season.
Chelsea have had a good start to their season and head into this game off the back of a win over rivals Arsenal in the Women’s Super League. They also started their Champions League campaign with a 3-2 win over Real Madrid last week.
Twente, meanwhile, drew 1-1 at the weekend against Excelsior in the Eredivisie and came away with a win against Celtic in their opening Champions League group stage match.
Both clubs will want to keep their winning momentum going in the competition. Team news will drop soon so stay tuned before kick-off at 8pm BST.
