Chelsea vs Liverpool

2023 - 1 - 21

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Chelsea v Liverpool abandoned due to frozen pitch: Women's Super ... (The Guardian)

Chelsea's match against Liverpool was abandoned after only six minutes due to a frozen pitch at Kingsmeadow.

Welcome to what on the face of it looks like a routine home win for Chelsea. Everybody wants to get the game on and when you’ve got emotions – say, one team wants to play, one team doesn’t want to play – you need someone else to take the decision. We said we were unhappy to play on it and the ref said it was alright. And it is extremely cold in London today, more so than yesterday even, and anyone who went to a Saturday game will attest to how nippy it was. “Whoever made the decision for the game to be on, it’s put players at risk today. It does seem a poor show that apparently no one from the FA was at Kingsmeadow to oversee things when there’s such a consensus that the match shouldn’t have taken place.

Chelsea vs Liverpool WSL clash abandoned after just five minutes (Mirror.co.uk)

Boos reigned out at Kingsmeadow, mainly directed at referee Paul Howard who made the decision, after the decision was announced via the stadium PA with Emma ...

I'm surprised it kicked off at 12.30pm because we got told this morning that we can try and kick the game off at 2pm, but we've got the phone call to say that they game was back on at 12.30. It was frozen in the warm-up. It shouldn't have been played in the first place. And with players immediately looking slippery underfoot the game was called off by the referee after just six minutes of play. Matt Beard was upset that it even got to that point and he's right. The club will provide a further announcement on the fixture in due course."

Chelsea vs Liverpool abandoned after just six minutes in 'shameful ... (Football.London)

The match is the second of the weekend to fall victim to the frigid temperatures that have affected large parts of the country.

It's not for managers to decide if it's on - it's up to the FA and officials. "We've made progress with investment into the quality of grasses and surfaces across the league," Hayes told BBC Two. But to start the game and then realise five minutes in it was dangerous to many players, is very embarrassing, it is not a good look." "It is very embarrassing, it is a shame for the travelling fans," Powell said. Former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Hope Powell, who was on punditry duty pitchside for the BBC, called the decision not to call off the match before kick-off "embarrassing" and "shameful", citing the unfair treatment to travelling fans, while also raising the question of how such decisions reflect poorly upon the women's game. Frustration was audible from the supporters, coaches and players alike as the decision was announced.

Chelsea Women vs Liverpool Women: WSL match abandoned after ... (Sky Sports)

Chelsea vs Liverpool fixture in Womens Super League abandoned after just six minutes due to frozen pitch; Chelsea manager Emma Hayes: You could see from the ...

"The officials were concerned that the ground was frozen underneath. I'm surprised it kicked off at 12.30pm because we got told this morning that we can try and kick-off the game at 2pm, but we've got the phone call to say that the game was back on at 12.30pm. "The game should never have started. The game should never have started" "It's not for managers to decide if it's on - it's up to the FA and officials. No game at the top level of the women's game should be cancelled.

Chelsea game with Liverpool off after six minutes (BBC News)

The Women's Super League match between leaders Chelsea and Liverpool at Kingsmeadow is called off after six minutes because of a frozen pitch.

Katie Stengel (Liverpool Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Attempt blocked. Fuka Nagano (Liverpool Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Chelsea vs Liverpool WSL clash postponed after six minutes (90min)

The WSL clash between Chelsea and Liverpool was postponed after six minutes of play at Kingsmeadow on Sunday due to the unplayable pitch conditions.

And he basically said [after six minutes] he doesn't think the pitch is safe so he called the game off." "The right decision was reached," Beard added. The referee should have made the decision today at 9:30. He [the referee] said it was safe but at the end of the day, it should have been called off this morning. "It could have been called off at 9:30, because it wasn't playable at 9:30," said Beard. Covers were left on the field and ice was removed with rakes and leaf blowers in the build up to kick off.

Chelsea vs Liverpool called off after six minutes! WSL clash ... (Goal India)

The Women's Super League match between Chelsea and Liverpool was abandoned after just six minutes over concerns for the players' safety.

We said we were unhappy to play on it and the ref said it was alright. We’ve got to take our game seriously, we can have blowers on the pitch but it’s not enough. Not good enough, the women’s game is heading in the right direction but still a long way to go," wrote Arsenal star Beth Mead on