Arsenal’s comeback from an early goal to defeat Chelsea and win the Continental League Cup in front of 19,010 spectators at Selhurst Park evoked a sense of déjà vu.
The men’s team conceded in 9.11 seconds at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday, and it took Sam Kerr 98 seconds to send the Gunners behind yesterday.
In front of Chelsea’s owner Todd Boehly and Arsenal’s chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, the Gunners completed an extraordinary comeback with goals from Stina Blackstenius, Kim Little, and Niamh Charles in the first half.
Ian Wright’s locker room festivities with the players resembled his viral antics after Reiss Nelson’s game-winning goal the day before.
Jonas Eidevall, the manager of Arsenal, had stated that despite Kerr’s goal in Chelsea’s 2-0 FA Cup victory over the Gunners seven days earlier, he was satisfied with how much his team had contained the striker. Before the championship match, he remarked, “For the majority of the game. We were doing a great job, and now we must continue to do so until we reach perfection.”
Kerr ended any prospect of perfection in the second minute.
Erin Cuthbert cleared Arsenal’s clearing to Guro Reiten, who crossed for Kerr.
Arsenal had to dig deep early on because perfection was off the agenda. They were encouraged by a dominant Arsenal crowd. Still elated from Saturday’s late comeback by the men’s team, which supplied the blueprint for a turnaround in any scenario.
Eidevall stated, “Over the past decade, Arsenal has not been the dominant club.” “Historically, it has been. Of course, the club wants to go back and reclaim that position in women’s football. The [Chelsea goal] was a true test of character, and I believe we managed it admirably. If a team wishes to win, it must handle difficult situations.”
Arsenal, however, had a dismal record against Chelsea. Before the final, Eidevall’s team had failed to defeat Chelsea in five attempts, enduring three losses and two draws. Their last win came on the first day of the 2021-22 season, the manager’s first league match.
While Arsenal dominated possession and created chances like the previous week. There was a distinct energy, a tenacity, and, most importantly, they were significantly more clinical. It took just 15 minutes for the team in red to draw level, with Frida Maanum’s stray pass under pressure from Kerr, deflecting fortuitously off the back of Magda Eriksson’s heals into the path of her compatriot Blackstenius and the forward stroked a low effort into the far corner.
The men’s side had to wait until the 97th minute to beat Bournemouth and keep their title hopes alive.
The Arsenal supporters’ nerves were calmed considerably faster at Crystal Palace’s stadium. Sophie Ingle tangled with Katie McCabe just inside the box and Little converted from the spot, sending Ann-Katrin Berger the wrong way and blasting low to the keeper’s right.
At the defense, Rafaelle Souza and Leah Williamson did an outstanding job of limiting opportunities for Chelsea forwards Kerr and Lauren James.
Before the conclusion of the first half, Emma Hayes decided to switch to a back-three formation, with Kadeisha Buchanan replacing Jelana Cankovic and joining Eriksson and Millie Bright.
After a Steph Catley corner, Charles headed the ball into her net under duress from Rafaelle to extend Arsenal’s lead late in the first half.
If the Arsenal players were fuelled by a desire for a first trophy since their title win in 2018-19, then the muted response of Chelsea perhaps demonstrated the complacency that can set in when you are serial winners.
After the contest, a disappointed Hayes echoed those sentiments. “We appeared to be a team that had triumphed frequently, but they had not,” she said. “Losing games like this can serve as a reminder of the effort required to remain at the summit.
“We scored early, and were secure for 10 minutes, but momentum shifted when Arsenal equalized. They were substantially hungrier than my team.”
The second half lacked the intensity of the first, but Arsenal continued to press forward despite Chelsea switching to a back four at halftime with Melanie Leupolz replacing Charles.
Caitlin Foord was fouled just inside the penalty area by Buchanan. But referee Kirsty Dowle awarded a corner to Eidevall’s team instead.
There was jubilation on the full-time whistle, with Arsenal deserved winners and having turned their fortunes around after struggling to manage the loss of Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema to anterior cruciate ligament injuries before Christmas.
