Ajax v Chelsea LIVE: Women's Champions League result and ...
Chelsea travel to Amsterdam for their quarter-final first leg against underdogs Ajax
Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
Chelsea will continue their chase of the perfect send-off for Emma Hayes with a Women’s Champions League quarter-final against Ajax.
The last-eight tie will be contested across two legs as the two sides look to advance to the last four. Chelsea, whose manager Hayes will depart at the end of the season, impressed in the group stages as they seek a first continental crown.
Ajax, meanwhile, have been the tournament surprise package, emerging from a group that also included Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Roma to become only the second Dutch team to make the quarter-finals in competition history. Follow all the build-up, team news and match action below. Get the latest match odds here.
More than one foot there, we’d argue. One foot and three or four toes perhaps. A Chelsea goal in the second leg and there’s no chance they concede four - in the last three years or so they’ve conceded four in a game to Wolfsburg, Barcelona and Arsenal. Doesn’t seem likely this Ajax side will be added to the list.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:57
Possession 46-54
Attempts 9-12
On target 2-6
Pretty much Chelsea’s game throughout, after a very early shot against the woodwork from the hosts. That could have made matters very different.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:47
And that’s the whistle - three goals and a brilliant first-leg lead for Chelsea. The second leg at Stamford Bridge should be largely a formality and a chance to fine-tune players’ fitness before a semi-final against either Brann or Barcelona.
Lauren James scored the first and thought she’d assisted the second - only for a VAR check to rule out Reiten’s strike. Reiten then set up Nusken only a moment later to score from close range anyway, with Nusken adding a third near the end following Macario’s great cross.
A fine night’s work: Ajax 0-3 Chelsea.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:42
Into stoppage time we go and we’ll have three minutes. Ajax having a bit of possession at the back now but going nowhere - they just don’t want any heavier a home defeat now.
Ultimately they’ve been lacking in the final third and unable to feed Leuchter much at all.
Time to watch on for Chelsea and Hayes, and see who impresses in tonight’s other quarter-final and those being played tomorrow.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:40
Cankovic on for Cuthbert in the aftermath of that goal. Noordman on for Van Gool too. And two more Chelsea subs, Ingle for Leupolz and Beever-Jones for Charles.
A few minutes run-out for each, with this match certainly settled and the quarter-final itself almost guaranteed to be done too.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:36
Really well worked move, great delivery and perfect header - it’s 3-0 to Chelsea and that’s the tie done, surely.
Macario found space down the right and whipped over a brilliant cross; Nusken rises highest in the six-yard box and bullets a header past the keeper, who doesn’t even move.
That’s the third they wanted and that will surely be too much for the Dutch club.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:33
Inside the final quarter of an hour now. Ajax haven’t been a threat at all in the last 20 minutes or so - they need to find a way to hold the ball up in the final third or at least turn Chelsea’s defence around. It has been extremely comfortable for Carter and co for much of this half.
Here’s that second Chelsea goal from the end of the first half - it could prove vital.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:28
Macario immediately involved in the box and twice sees the ball come her way, but the first is a cross which is just too high and the second sees her surrounded and having to check back and tee up a teammate - but the Ajax defenders get back and crowd out Erin Cuthbert.
Emma Hayes no doubt keen to wrap matters up here in this first leg.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:24
Should be 3-0. Reiten has another great chance just a few yards out after a cross from the left, but blazes over. That could have been the tie all but wrapped up.
Hoekstra is replaced by Keukelaar for Ajax’s second change.
Double sub for Chelsea: James off, Macario on; Kaneryd replaced by Lawrence.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:23
First sub of the game - Yohannes replaced by Van de Velde.
Straight swap, the youngster was on a booking in midfield.
Van Eijk tested a couple of times in succession now; James curls the second attempt on target but her left-footed shot just lacks a bit of power.
Karl Matchett19 March 2024 19:18
