Spurs Women eliminated from Conti Cup by Chelsea

Our 2022/23 Continental League Cup campaign came to an end with a 3-1 defeat at home to Chelsea Women on Wednesday night, Sam Kerr scoring from close range in the first half and substitute Fran Kirby finding the back of the net in the second, before Kerr added a third late on. Drew Spence scored a beautiful top right finish in stoppage time.

Rehanne Skinner made three changes to the side that began our last game against Aston Villa, Kerys Harrop and Eveliina Summanen coming in for Asmita Ale and So-hyun Cho respectively, while Mana Iwabuchi was handed her debut with Chioma Ubogagu dropping to the bench.

We made a good start to the game and were on top and camped in Chelsea's half for the first 20 minutes. Summanen struck straight at Zecira Musovic from long range but Eve Perisseti hit an effort wide at the other end.

There was a promising chance to take the lead on the counter-attack when Bethany England played the ball out to Celin Bizet on the right. She shifted the ball wide onto her right foot and her attempt was met by Musovic.

Drew Spence made a vital intervention in our 18-yard box to deny her former side an opener in the 26th minute, before Lauren James tapped the ball at Korpela from Guro Reiten's cross.

Jelena Cankovic had a rising left footed strike from long range caught by Korpela, and we continued to defend well as Molly Bartrip forced Lauren James on the outside before getting a block in to concede a corner from the full-back's shot.

But in the 37th minute, a cross into the box was touched in by Kerr to give Chelsea the 1-0 lead. She then headed another cross straight at Korpela and we went into the half-time break a goal behind.

We had a great chance to equalise early in the second half as Bizet pulled the ball back to Spence inside the area, but she curled just wide of the post.

Ubogagu came on for Iwabuchi with just over half an hour remaining, but Chelsea doubled their lead with just over 20 minutes to play, James finding Kirby, who curled the ball into the far corner.

Jess Carter shot just wide from a cross into the box in the 73rd minute and James then came in from the right onto her left foot before shooting straight at Korpela.

Kerr could have had a brace with ten minutes to go but Korpela did really well to rush off her line and save the one-on-one with her right foot, before Angharad James was brought on in place of Summanen.

Kerr then lifted the ball in for 3-0 in the 85th minute. At the other end, a goalmouth scramble created a chance for England, but Musovic got down to her left to keep Chelsea's clean sheet intact. Chelsea countered quickly with Kerr finding Kirby, but she shot wide of the post from a narrow angle after going round Korpela.

With time and space in stoppage time at the end of the second half, Spence rocketed the ball into the top right corner to pull one back, but there wasn't enough time to mount a comeback.

Match data

Goals: Chelsea Women - Kerr 37, 85, Kirby 68, Spence 90+4.

Yellow cards: Spurs Women - Ayane 67, James 90+4.

Referee: Stacey Pearson.

Venue: Brisbane Road, Leyton.

Weather: Cloudy, six degrees.

Attendance: 657.