1 week Ago By [email protected] (Alison McConnell)
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Celtic fell to their third successive Champions League defeat after suffering a loss to Chelsea.
Outplayed for large chunks of the game against a side who dominated, Celtic will nevertheless draw encouragement from the manner in which they were able to keep themselves in a match that may well have ran away from them. Murphy Agnew gave the Hoops the lead against the run of play before two goals in four minutes turned the game in Chelsea ’s favour. Maka Hamano levelled before Ashley Lawrence put them in the lead for the first time in the game, a lead that was never really under any significant threat.
Chelsea started as they meant to go on as they took a grip of this one from the opening whistle. The hosts, however, somehow found themselves chasing the game midway through the opening period after Agnew had given Celtic a lead which had come from nothing. Amy Gallacher deserved huge credit for her part in the goal with a pass to Agnew that the striker was quick to latch on to before keeping her composure to slot low into the net.
It was Celtic’s first goal in the group stages of the competition with Agnew’s celebrations reflecting the magnitude of the moment. But within four minutes Chelsea had flipped the game to their advantage with two swift goals to put Celtic on the back foot once again. There was a suspicion of offside about the leveller but McGregor’s appeal for offside fell on deaf ears as Chelsea took advantage with Hamano steering the ball past Kelsey Daugherty.
Minutes later, having produced a fine save to deny Cuthbert, Daugherty had no chance as Lawrence pounced on the rebound to drill the ball into the net. Still, for all that Chelsea had a firm grip of the game they did not look overly convincing at the back. In time added on Chelsea’s Agnes Beever-Jones picked up a second yellow after sliding in on Colette Cavanagh.
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