Chelsea drop points as million-dollar defender Naomi Girma makes her debut

Brighton Women 2-2 Chelsea Women

With Chelsea's million-dollar defender Naomi Girma making her debut alongside captain Millie Bright against Brighton Women, the Blues were confident of maintaining their unbeaten league record.

So when Sandy Baltimore's left-foot shot gave the visitors the lead in dazzling sunshine at the Broadfield stadium, all looked well. But Marisa Olislagers beat Hannah Hampton to restore parity, and then skipper Vicky Losada gave the Seagulls the lead. This wasn't in the script.

However, after Girma picked up a knock and was subbed in the second half, Chelsea – playing in black – were soon back on level terms when Lauren James stroked the ball home when an initial Mayra Ramirez strike had been parried.

And it stayed 2-2, despite a dozen minutes of stoppage time; an end-to-end thriller which gives some hope to Man Utd, second in the WSL table, and now just five points behind.

Maybe it was former Blues Fran Kirby and Maria Thorisdottir's inside knowledge that gave the Seagulls confidence, but Chelsea gaffer Sonia Bompastor (named manager of the year at last week's London football awards) admitted she was "disappointed and frustrated" with the result.

"We love to win, and hate to drop points, but we are five points clear, and that's the main thing. We need to realise that no game is going to be easy until the end of the season."

The game saw veteran goalie Becky Spencer back on the bench for Chelsea; drafted in on loan from Spurs under emergency league rules after new signing Femke Liefting arrived and promptly injured a bone in her foot.

Spencer played between the sticks for Chelsea from 2016 to 2018. Hampton's only other obvious deputy, Zecira Musovic, has announced she's pregnant, and will play no further part in this season.

The games come thick and fast. Chelsea Women are playing Leicester City under the Kingsmeadow floodlights on Wednesday, then entertain Crystal Palace in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Reduced tickets for local residents

But the big, big build-up is towards Chelsea's clash with Manchester City Women in the quarter-final of the Champions League at Stamford Bridge at 8pm on Thursday 27 March, with an exclusive 20% discount on tickets for Hammersmith & Fulham residents.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's men are in Copenhagen this week for the first leg of their European double-header, culminating in a clash under the floodlights at the Bridge on March 13. While the women are playing Palace on Sunday afternoon, the men host Leicester at the Bridge. It never stops!