:00:07. > :00:46.# oh, I feel so alive. # I feel so alive. Good evening. The WSL1 title
:00:47. > :00:52.race resumed at the weekend with Chelsea wanted to close the gap on
:00:53. > :01:00.Manchester City. Can they some in the spirit of 2015 or is the clock
:01:01. > :01:05.ticking on their reign as champions? COMMENTATOR: And the FA Cup winners
:01:06. > :01:15.are the league champions, it is double joy for Chelsea in 2015.
:01:16. > :01:23.Manchester City are pretty relentless in this battle for
:01:24. > :01:28.Chelsea with the WSL title. It has been a shocking week for Chelsea.
:01:29. > :01:32.They have lost a cup final and now they had been beaten by their main
:01:33. > :01:38.rivals in the title race. The advantage is with them but there is
:01:39. > :01:43.still a long way to go. What a message of intent sent out by
:01:44. > :01:48.Manchester City. Chelsea miss an opportunity to go top of the table.
:01:49. > :01:53.Manchester City march on, still unbeaten. Arsenal beat Chelsea on
:01:54. > :01:58.their own patch. What a significant result. Manchester City in control
:01:59. > :02:08.of this game and in control of the title race. Yes, time is running out
:02:09. > :02:13.for Chelsea if they are to retain their title because of the imperious
:02:14. > :02:16.form of Manchester City and a certain Izzy Christiansen, who we
:02:17. > :02:24.are happy to have tonight alongside with Rachel Browne. Welcome. We
:02:25. > :02:28.begin at Academy stadium, where a win for their teammates would
:02:29. > :02:39.increase City's lead at the top 213 points before Chelsea's at
:02:40. > :02:43.Birmingham. -- to 13 points. Manchester City are three wins away
:02:44. > :02:49.from securing the WSL1 title which seems inevitable. Two changes to the
:02:50. > :02:56.team that beat Don caster 4-0 last time-out. Jill Scott returns and
:02:57. > :03:04.Daphne ahead of Georgia Stanley -- Doncaster. The suite is on the
:03:05. > :03:12.bench. Reading pushed Manchester City all the way when they met three
:03:13. > :03:17.weeks gave. -- Swede. Two changes to the team that lost 2-1 eventually.
:03:18. > :03:25.Kylie Davies returns to the starting 11. Nick Cushing staying relaxed
:03:26. > :03:42.despite the title being tantalisingly close. It is passed
:03:43. > :03:49.straight into the path. She Jane finds Ross. Oh, so close! And that
:03:50. > :03:52.was a chance made out of a huge mistake. They tried to play it out
:03:53. > :04:10.off the back and they were nearly given the ultimate punishment. Ross
:04:11. > :04:23.smashes the crossbar. Rowe is pushed over. Appeals for a penalty. It was
:04:24. > :04:29.Beatie, treading a fine line. The referee a move. City on the attack
:04:30. > :04:39.once again. That was a great run from Lucy, who fires across. Jane
:04:40. > :04:47.Ross, again, fails to break the deadlock. She got on the end of it.
:04:48. > :04:55.Once again it is wide. Excellent run from Lucy Bronze and a terrific
:04:56. > :05:03.challenge from Scott has put the ball out of harm's way. Decent
:05:04. > :05:09.delivery, looking for Jill Scott. Oh, it is fumbled, still not
:05:10. > :05:12.cleared. City starting the second half on the front foot. Now, what a
:05:13. > :05:44.chance that was for City. The free kick is left to Duggan. In
:05:45. > :05:51.towards the head of Beatie. And there it is! Manchester City finally
:05:52. > :05:56.take the lead. Jan Beatie, from a pinpoint delivery by Tony Duggan,
:05:57. > :06:04.Reading resistance finally broken and Manchester City scored their
:06:05. > :06:10.31st goal of the season. Chambers will be bitterly disappointed that
:06:11. > :06:17.the first side conceded so early in the second half after an impressive
:06:18. > :06:30.defensive display in the first. Fletcher picks the loose ball up and
:06:31. > :06:34.is challenged by Harris. Another delivery coming up, and it is not a
:06:35. > :06:40.bad one but it is headed away by Beatie. Christiansen, now here is
:06:41. > :06:45.Ross and Manchester City came that this up here on the break. They have
:06:46. > :06:54.got numbers forward. Here is Scott. Christiansen evades her and Paris
:06:55. > :06:58.was leaning back. She misses the target by some distance. Almost the
:06:59. > :07:08.perfect counter attack by Manchester City. Bronze finds Ross, the
:07:09. > :07:12.glancing header cannot find that, oh, but she has stolen it off
:07:13. > :07:17.Maggie. She wants a free kick and she has got one just on the edge of
:07:18. > :07:22.the penalty area, and she was clearly having her shirt pulled --
:07:23. > :07:25.MacGee. Good decision by the referee, and it was outside the
:07:26. > :07:34.area. And it is Steph Wharton with the freekick, and it is good, it is
:07:35. > :07:44.very good! The keeper was rooted to the spot. Manchester City go two
:07:45. > :07:47.goals are up and that should be that at the Academy Stadium and
:07:48. > :07:51.Manchester City's March towards the WSL1 title continues -- two goals
:07:52. > :07:55.up. We are frustrated that in the first half we created chances and
:07:56. > :07:58.knew that we could be better but in the second half I thought we were
:07:59. > :08:03.always in control and we didn't let the keeper had a save to make. For
:08:04. > :08:06.us it is about maintaining momentum and keep going until the Arsenal
:08:07. > :08:10.game next week. We have had a lot of teams come here and we have been to
:08:11. > :08:14.a lot of teams who have sat back and hit us on the counter and Reading
:08:15. > :08:17.are very good at that, organised, committed and strong. They have got
:08:18. > :08:22.good players and they are a really good team. I have gone away from the
:08:23. > :08:27.game utterly disappointed with silly fouls given away. We executed the
:08:28. > :08:33.game plan well today. Manchester City didn't break us down. I have
:08:34. > :08:39.come away from the game really frustrated because we could have
:08:40. > :08:43.taken something today. Yeah, frustration for Reading, but
:08:44. > :08:47.congratulations to you, Izzy. The gameplan almost worked. Yes, Reading
:08:48. > :08:53.did everything they could to frustrate us. Both managers some of
:08:54. > :08:57.the game nicely. You could say we are a little fortunate to come away
:08:58. > :09:01.with three points. I think these images show very well how compact
:09:02. > :09:05.Reading were and how they frustrated us. They are very quick to the
:09:06. > :09:11.second balls and a limited the chances of going forward for us. All
:09:12. > :09:15.credit to them. I think they nullified the usual threat of
:09:16. > :09:19.Manchester City, the overlapping fullback, certainly down the right
:09:20. > :09:23.side with Lucy Bronze. I think Harriet Scott did a good job of
:09:24. > :09:25.denying Lucy Bronze the run of the pitch, and when they regained
:09:26. > :09:29.possession they kept possession, they played tidy balls out of the
:09:30. > :09:34.back through the midfield, they didn't just kick it, they wanted to
:09:35. > :09:36.maintain possession, so it frustrated Manchester City who
:09:37. > :09:41.couldn't implement their dominance. We see here tackle after tackle.
:09:42. > :09:46.Every single player is very well drilled. There was no player,
:09:47. > :09:50.certainly in the midfield, who were in five or six yards of another, and
:09:51. > :09:54.after one tackle came in another came into tidy up. For the majority
:09:55. > :09:58.of the game that manager, Kelly Chambers, was delighted with what
:09:59. > :10:02.she saw, but the utter frustration from the manager with not defending
:10:03. > :10:07.those set pieces which cost them. Yes, but top teams, if you switch
:10:08. > :10:13.off for any amount of time, that is what they do, they punish you, and
:10:14. > :10:18.this came from a nothing foul and what major city have is a real flair
:10:19. > :10:23.with Steph Wharton, Jane Ross, it is a lovely ball in from Tony Duggan,
:10:24. > :10:28.the inswing the right foot and basically Reading don't get tired.
:10:29. > :10:35.They don't get tight, they don't have their arms across each other.
:10:36. > :10:38.To try to beat that standing jump with Beatie, you are just never
:10:39. > :10:43.going to do it, and she puts it away with ease, and City have their
:10:44. > :10:46.reward on that. This one, the Reading captain should have cleared
:10:47. > :10:51.her lion earlier, she has paid for it, she is tugging on Ross's shirt
:10:52. > :10:55.and we have seen Steph Houghton, the signs are ominous, outside of the
:10:56. > :10:59.box, right foot for club and country she tends to score. On this occasion
:11:00. > :11:05.I don't think the wall did a very good job. We see on the end here,
:11:06. > :11:12.Alan, the wall is disjointed, it is moving, she creeps towards the ball,
:11:13. > :11:16.sorry, the walk is not solid, it doesn't help that, but not a bad
:11:17. > :11:21.strike as well. Maybe the goalkeeper should have set up the wall, or were
:11:22. > :11:25.they not doing the job? She has to set up the wall to her left or right
:11:26. > :11:33.post. You have to trust that the wall will cover that half. On this
:11:34. > :11:41.occasion, whoever's thought it was, we don't know. Should Redding have
:11:42. > :11:48.had eight penalty? -- Reading have had a penalty? Definitely. Beatie
:11:49. > :11:54.absolutely smashes into the back. 100% penalty. And you know, for
:11:55. > :11:59.Reading to go ahead, this could have really changed the game. OK, well,
:12:00. > :12:02.Manchester City's win puts pressure on Chelsea, the defending champions
:12:03. > :12:09.who couldn't slip up against Birmingham who were aiming to extend
:12:10. > :12:13.a ten match unbeaten run in WSL1. COMMENTATOR: Alongside the distant
:12:14. > :12:16.pursuit of Manchester City, Chelsea find themselves chased in the race
:12:17. > :12:23.for the Champions League. Birmingham are a contender in what has been a
:12:24. > :12:30.remarkable season for them. And David Parker recalls two players
:12:31. > :12:40.following the win over Liverpool. Chelsea captain Katie Chapman has
:12:41. > :12:44.been brought in by Emma Hayes. Following Swedish heroics at the
:12:45. > :12:45.Olympics, there is one on the bench, and Becky Spencer faces her old
:12:46. > :13:03.club. And Birmingham are such a durable
:13:04. > :13:14.unit defensively but they give the ball away here. Coming infield and
:13:15. > :13:22.finding the net superbly! Oluko's hot streak continues and Katherine
:13:23. > :13:31.Berger caught out at the near post and Aluko given the invitation and
:13:32. > :13:36.she has completed its superbly. It is unlike Chelsea to make such an
:13:37. > :13:39.uncertain start. Rafferty, and that is another good cross, and Karen
:13:40. > :13:45.Carney scores against her former club! Understandably, there is no
:13:46. > :13:51.celebration but Chelsea take a firm grip on this game with two goals in
:13:52. > :13:56.the opening seven minutes. Another really well constructed goal, the
:13:57. > :14:12.excellent cross from Rafferty and Carney ghosted in unmarked. Here is
:14:13. > :14:19.Chapman, and now Carney and Davidson, it should be three, it is!
:14:20. > :14:26.Chelsea's dominance continues, and following a five-week break, they
:14:27. > :14:27.have made a blistering return to WSL. Gemma Davison with a typical
:14:28. > :14:41.finish. Westwood, the ball straight to
:14:42. > :14:50.Aluko, Birmingham cannot afford to do that. Here is Carney, it is Aluko
:14:51. > :14:55.again, the goalkeeper makes the save button Ji makes it four and Chelsea
:14:56. > :15:01.are simply irresistible here to date but it was Birmingham who gave the
:15:02. > :15:10.ball away initially. Ji was there to make it 4-0.
:15:11. > :15:21.Ji, oh, she rather sold herself short. Jackman, the effort drifted
:15:22. > :15:27.over the top. Mel Lawley right at the end of the first half, but Ji
:15:28. > :15:28.creating problems therefore Jilly Flaherty but Lawley unable to
:15:29. > :15:43.capitalise. Well one from Westwood but she has
:15:44. > :15:51.given the ball away again. Chapman finding Davison, and Davison of AIDS
:15:52. > :16:00.Westwood and now Aluko and Rafferty should have made it five. -- aids.
:16:01. > :16:08.Aluko finding Rafferty, and although she was closed down she will be
:16:09. > :16:16.disappointed with that finish. And Birmingham city give the ball away
:16:17. > :16:21.again. Here is Aluko. Now Borges. Three blue shirts around her. But
:16:22. > :16:28.she found Carney, who is so unlucky. It rattles off the crossbar. Karen
:16:29. > :16:42.Carney close to another goal. Real power behind that and Chelsea almost
:16:43. > :16:48.make it five. And here was a long rundown field for Davison. And
:16:49. > :16:56.Chelsea have missed some chances to make it five here. All the way from
:16:57. > :17:03.Spencer. And Davison showing her pace. Chelsea really could have had
:17:04. > :17:06.a hat full here. Convincing performance and importantly we
:17:07. > :17:09.wanted a fast start because we know Birmingham are hard to break down
:17:10. > :17:12.but it was a fabulous first half performance that made the
:17:13. > :17:18.difference. We have gifted them for goals. We have put it on a plate for
:17:19. > :17:22.them. We started horrendously. We conceded more goals in 25 minutes
:17:23. > :17:26.than in the last four or 13 games -- four. Full credit to Chelsea who
:17:27. > :17:30.were top drawer but it was nothing they did, we give them the ball in
:17:31. > :17:36.their own half and they punished us. The pressures, you know, of course
:17:37. > :17:38.is on us, but they have to play us, they have to play Birmingham at
:17:39. > :17:43.Arsenal, so they have had three tough games, it is not over yet and
:17:44. > :17:48.it won't be over if we put in performances like that. STUDIO: The
:17:49. > :17:51.12 match unbeaten run coming to an end for Birmingham but they are
:17:52. > :17:57.frustrated because they didn't help themselves. Not at all and not many
:17:58. > :18:01.teams go to Birmingham and come away with a 4-0 win, normally it is one
:18:02. > :18:04.goal in it, but Birmingham gave away possession so easily from the back
:18:05. > :18:10.and midfield. They like to play out from the back but it was easy,
:18:11. > :18:14.especially for Chelsea, Davison and Carney with so much pace. And you
:18:15. > :18:23.back off and give space and she will slot the ball in every time. And Ji
:18:24. > :18:29.and Aluko are a well oiled machine, they know where beat one is and that
:18:30. > :18:34.was too easy. We see here again, Stringer gives away the ball for
:18:35. > :18:40.Birmingham, Terris gets dragged across to leave it open for Davison
:18:41. > :18:43.and another top-class player with a simple finish. Birmingham are not
:18:44. > :18:47.normally this disorganised. They have evolved in the last 12 months
:18:48. > :18:50.and as David Parker said they will be disappointed with their
:18:51. > :18:55.performance and I am sure they will want to put it right. Ji, her
:18:56. > :18:59.quality, playing it out why to Carney, pivotal in this game,
:19:00. > :19:00.Birmingham are at sixes and sevens, they should have pushed out and
:19:01. > :19:03.press the ball and then they should they should have pushed out and
:19:04. > :19:08.have got out to make sure that Ji was offside for this particular
:19:09. > :19:11.goal. They were at sea and it was out of character. Hopefully for
:19:12. > :19:17.Birmingham just a blip in their performance. You mention Aluko.
:19:18. > :19:24.Karen Carney scored in her first game. She has been in and out of the
:19:25. > :19:29.season and the team this season but how instrumental what she? The
:19:30. > :19:33.highlight show how instrumental she is. We have seen her in an England
:19:34. > :19:36.shirt. Last time she got a hat-trick. She seems to be
:19:37. > :19:42.instrumental to how Chelsea started in the game. She is creating an
:19:43. > :19:49.scoring and making things happen. That is what you need. She plays so
:19:50. > :19:52.well with pays out wide. Making things happen, it is so good to see
:19:53. > :19:57.her doing well. She joins in so well. As they can play a year have
:19:58. > :20:02.to be up and down the pitch. She has played out wide for England. --
:20:03. > :20:06.player you have to be. She was everywhere in this game against
:20:07. > :20:12.Birmingham. And she was instrumental in all of the goals. She can put a
:20:13. > :20:16.tackle in when required. She is very strong. She can shield the ball. She
:20:17. > :20:21.really has absolutely everything in her locker, from the short, tidy
:20:22. > :20:24.passes to shielding the ball, spraying it out wide and seeing
:20:25. > :20:30.those plays. She has 100 caps for her country. Is it better that she
:20:31. > :20:36.is not relied upon at Chelsea as she was at Birmingham when she played
:20:37. > :20:41.and wasn't anywhere near as fit. That is what Chelsea and Emma Hayes
:20:42. > :20:46.do well. Managing players, training loads, what they do on a day-to-day
:20:47. > :20:49.basis, how many minutes they train and assess whether they are fit and
:20:50. > :20:54.ready to go out match day. Things are looking good at the top of the
:20:55. > :20:57.table for you. You need two more wins from your final three games in
:20:58. > :21:03.theory to guarantee winning the title. What is the feeling amongst
:21:04. > :21:08.the players. -- amongst the players? We are satisfied. There is a long
:21:09. > :21:11.way to go. The magnitude of the creams will suggest they will be
:21:12. > :21:18.very difficult games. The mood within the camp is positive. We know
:21:19. > :21:26.that we have to improve -- games. That has to be improved. I hold my
:21:27. > :21:30.hand up. But as you say, we feel we have room for improvement, and that
:21:31. > :21:36.is a good place to be. It won't be easy, because you have difficult
:21:37. > :21:40.fixtures remaining. Arsenal away, that can be feisty. Chelsea at home,
:21:41. > :21:46.that can be feisty. Birmingham at home as well, that can be feisty.
:21:47. > :21:49.This WSL is extremely competitive. It is a cliche to say there are no
:21:50. > :21:54.easy games but they are difficult matches. Yes, three fixtures we
:21:55. > :21:58.wouldn't want at the end of the season. It is what it is. Last
:21:59. > :22:02.season it went to the wire and this season it is going to do the same.
:22:03. > :22:06.It is an exciting pinnacle and I hope that things go our way. If you
:22:07. > :22:11.could leave it to the last minute for our benefit that would be lovely
:22:12. > :22:14.thank you. More games to catch up on, Madeleine with Arsenal hoping to
:22:15. > :22:23.maintain slim hopes of securing a Champions League slot with victory
:22:24. > :22:31.over Notts County -- with Arsenal hoping. Arsenal arrived at Meadow
:22:32. > :22:40.Lane after beating Notts County 3-0 at the last game. Find work here
:22:41. > :22:47.from the Tim Watts, proving what would be a quiet start. One-on-one
:22:48. > :22:54.with Walsh here and the Nigerian came out on top to put the Gunners
:22:55. > :22:59.in front. With only two wins in the league this season, County were
:23:00. > :23:03.breast of confidence but they were given hope when Ellen White was
:23:04. > :23:09.beaten by their keep. The referee had little alternative but to issue
:23:10. > :23:18.the red card. Despite the numerical advantage, Notts County were on the
:23:19. > :23:26.offensive. A superb save prevented Arsenal's lead to double. However,
:23:27. > :23:30.with this heavy deflation in the box, it couldn't cross the line and
:23:31. > :23:34.it was a moment to forget for the goalkeeper. Jess Clarke was stand
:23:35. > :23:38.out for the Lies in a difficult afternoon, but she could not finish
:23:39. > :23:44.it at the death as Arsenal beat Notts County. Mathematically still
:23:45. > :23:47.in the title race, their focus stays on the Champions League
:23:48. > :23:53.qualification. Liverpool came into the meeting with Doncaster unbeaten
:23:54. > :23:57.in six matches with Bells yet to get off the mark in WSL1. It could have
:23:58. > :24:02.been and other heavy defeat for the Bells buffer uninspired -- but for
:24:03. > :24:10.an inspired performance from the keeper. She was called into action
:24:11. > :24:13.here and Hobbs did well to tip the ball over the bar to give the game
:24:14. > :24:22.level. Having rarely threatened, Don caster had the best chance of the
:24:23. > :24:28.game. This unorthodox ball brought it in but she couldn't beat the
:24:29. > :24:31.keeper. It was to be costly. Three minutes after the restart, Liverpool
:24:32. > :24:39.got the winner. Natasha Harding's strike worthy. The keeper unable to
:24:40. > :24:43.do anything about that beautiful curled effort. Scott Rogers' team
:24:44. > :24:47.could have doubled their advantage. This header was cleared a wave with
:24:48. > :24:52.Sophie Barker. Liverpool make it seven games unbeaten. Don caster are
:24:53. > :24:58.still searching for their first points in the WSL1 this season.
:24:59. > :25:03.STUDIO: Don caster still at the foot of the table. They are still
:25:04. > :25:06.awaiting their first point of the season -- Doncaster. They have three
:25:07. > :25:20.games in hand on Sunderland and two on Reading, although they have
:25:21. > :25:25.superior goal difference. If Don -- Doncaster do go down, who will climb
:25:26. > :25:29.up to the top-flight? Everton emerged victorious after earning a
:25:30. > :25:34.fortuitous ninth minute penalty. Alan was judged to have fouled Kelly
:25:35. > :25:38.Jones. She despatched the spot kick which was the decisive goal as Ali
:25:39. > :25:45.Spencer's team move them to points of their opponents, who sit in
:25:46. > :25:49.second place. Yeovil miss the opportunity to extend their lead at
:25:50. > :25:53.the top, they drew 1-1 at Sheffield. Durham kept up the pressure on the
:25:54. > :26:02.top three with a 2-1 win over Oxford. So, you have an exciting day
:26:03. > :26:04.on Thursday. You will be glued to the women's Champions League draw.
:26:05. > :26:08.In it for the first time. You could get a massive club. What do you
:26:09. > :26:15.think Wasilla it is exciting and I can't wait to see who we are going
:26:16. > :26:19.to face. -- what you think about it? It is exciting. Hopefully we can see
:26:20. > :26:22.how we do, basically, so I am excited. It would be great to see.
:26:23. > :26:34.Rachel, goalkeeping perspective, your old mate Hope Solo in the
:26:35. > :26:39.Olympics, a little gamesmanship? And I think so. This is the
:26:40. > :26:44.quarter-final game. Sweden against USA penalty shootout. Here we have
:26:45. > :26:51.got Hope Solo changing her gloves, making sure she delays this, making
:26:52. > :26:58.her way, but we see she picked the wrong way. She is my teammate and
:26:59. > :27:02.she said she chose the wrong player to do that too. She is mentally one
:27:03. > :27:06.of the strongest players she has ever played with. It didn't faze her
:27:07. > :27:12.at all. She has despatched the penalty and away they go to the
:27:13. > :27:14.semifinals. After the game she hit the headlines big-time, didn't she,
:27:15. > :27:20.for calling Sweden a bunch of cowards for the way that they sat
:27:21. > :27:25.back in that game. She was suspended for six months by US soccer. What is
:27:26. > :27:29.your take on that? She said she is not good at losing. You have to have
:27:30. > :27:36.a professional mentality and attitude. So, you know, US Soccer,
:27:37. > :27:38.they make the decision, she will only Mr Mac games but she is
:27:39. > :27:49.certainly an outspoken character. It wasn't perhaps at... -- she will
:27:50. > :27:51.only miss two games. Is it the cumulative effect of various
:27:52. > :27:56.misdemeanours are the last two months? She certainly has previous,
:27:57. > :27:59.left estate, has Hope Solo, so I think that is possibly one of the
:28:00. > :28:03.reasons why it is possible. Six-month out for Hope Solo, not as
:28:04. > :28:06.long until we are back, though there is a break until we return on Monday
:28:07. > :28:10.the 25th of September when we have the best of the action from what
:28:11. > :28:17.could be the title decider with Manchester City aiming to dethrone
:28:18. > :28:21.Chelsea, that is at 11:15pm on BBC Two. Before that you can see
:28:22. > :28:25.England's final European Championships unqualified against
:28:26. > :28:31.Estonia on Thursday the 15th of September, live on BBC Two at
:28:32. > :28:34.7:05pm. You scored against them in your first match of international
:28:35. > :28:38.football, so another one of those. Thank you to both of you. A big win
:28:39. > :28:40.for Chelsea. It looks like it might be a matter of time before City are
:28:41. > :28:57.crowned champions of England. to America's biggest
:28:58. > :29:03.and busiest city. We're meeting the people who work
:29:04. > :29:07.around the clock...