In a highly entertaining Women’s Super League clash, Chelsea outdid Manchester City in a top of the table battle, claiming a 2-1 win. The friendly wasn’t without controversy. Getting the picture — Jess Park stepped into the spotlight during a contentious exchange. The result of that foul was devastating. The referee disallowed her brilliant goal, which would have doubled Chelsea’s lead. The incident has triggered ripples of horror, consternation, and debate among fans and analysts alike.
The story looked written as Jess Park had found the net, putting the visitors in an even better position. The referee stepped in and disallowed the goal for a foul that had been committed during the build-up. When Millie Bright fouled Brazil’s Kerolin, the referee was quick to raise her hand and call the whistle. This call prevented Chelsea from being able to take a two-goal lead into the second leg.
Chelsea opened the scoring in just the 6th minute of the match. Manchester City responded almost immediately, which set the stage for an incredibly fierce battle. The score was 2-1, Chelsea leading. In another universe, Park’s disallowed goal would’ve set the tone for a different match entirely. Even with the early-game rope-a-dope, Chelsea didn’t relent on the lead and would finish out with a tough, grinded win.
Meanwhile, Manchester City could have walked off the pitch feeling aggrieved. That disallowed goal was a hugely consequential turning point that might have changed the entire flow of the game. Despite a supreme attempt at a comeback from City, they couldn’t quite muster the equalizing goal to steal a point from the match.
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