Manchester City 1-2 Chelsea: Cuthbert heads dramatic winner for WSL leaders

Erin Cuthbert came off the bench to score a 91st-minute winner as Chelsea fought back to earn a dramatic 2-1 victory over Manchester City in the Women's Super League.

Sonia Bompastor's Blues were beaten 2-0 by City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday, halting their unbeaten run in all competitions at 31 games.

They travelled to the Etihad Stadium for Sunday's rematch still unbeaten in league action this term, but that record was in danger when Brazil forward Kerolin scored a magnificent solo goal in the 32nd minute.

Having picked the ball up 40 yards from goal on the right flank, Kerolin drove into the area then fooled Millie Bright with a clever feint and tucked her finish into the bottom corner.

Kerolin had earlier forced Hannah Hampton into action from a tight angle, and the below-par visitors were fortunate to go into half-time only one goal behind.

City were furious when Jess Park's hooked finish was not allowed to stand shortly before the break, with the whistle having already gone following a foul on Kerolin just outside the box, with no advantage played by referee Kirsty Dowle.

To add to City's frustrations, Yui Hasegawa clipped the crossbar from the resulting free-kick and Chelsea levelled four minutes into the second half.

Capping a flowing move down the right, Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd cut the ball back for Beever-Jones, who drove her finish inside the far post.

Chelsea improved from there and forced several good stops from Khiara Keating, but their pressure finally told in second-half stoppage time.

Ashley Lawrence stood up a cross from the right, and Cuthbert arrived unmarked to beat Keating with a diving header, prompting wild celebrations from the visiting players.

While Chelsea extend their lead over second-placed Arsenal back to eight points following the Gunners' 4-0 rout of Liverpool, fourth-placed City stay 15 points off top spot.

Data Debrief: Twenty up for Chelsea

Chelsea may have benefitted from a slice of fortune with Park's disallowed goal, but they made that reprieve count as they extended their unbeaten run in the WSL to 20 matches, dating back to the final weeks of Emma Hayes' reign last season.

They have won 18 times in that span, drawing twice. The last time a team went 20 games without defeat in the WSL was when Chelsea embarked on a record 33-match run between February 2019 and January 2021.

They are also the first team to avoid defeat through their first 17 matches of a WSL campaign since City did so in 2018-19.

Nick Cushing's team will have a swift chance for revenge when the teams reconvene for the second leg of their European tie on Thursday, which will mark the first time two WSL teams have ever met four times within a single calendar month.