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The Blues and Manchester United each maintained their unbeaten beginnings to the Women’s Super League season, although the title holders' perfect winning record was brought to an end by an exciting encounter between the leading teams.

This outcome extended United's frustratingly lengthy wait for a first WSL victory over Chelsea but they will have taken significant encouragement from their performance, on a night when both teams generated plenty of opportunities to win and the home side showed they may well have the attributes to mount a serious title challenge.

High-Intensity Opening Sees Quick Scores

For a match played between the teams with the two best defence statistics in the Women's Super League previous season, and which had conceded the least scores so far this campaign before the start, the match began in a unexpectedly open manner as each attacked early on.

The contest began at such a rapid tempo that it might well have been 2-2 inside the first six minutes, with the goalkeeper stopping with her legs from the forward, Macario's effort being blocked by Le Tissier, Jess Park shooting narrowly over the crossbar and then Beever-Jones following suit when she certainly seemed certain to score.

Chelsea then score the goal the early burst of attacks had threatened, as Wieke Kaptein connected with Macario's clever flicked pass and slotted in a precise, clinical finish into the bottom into the corner, as the hosts let in a league goal for only the second time this season.

Anna Sandberg's Stunning Leveler

Manchester United had lost 10 of their prior 11 WSL fixtures with the Blues, but this confident iteration of Marc Skinner's team were unwilling to surrender.

Inspired by the dribbling of Jess Park, who appeared determined to dance her way past as many opposition players as she could and was the driving force of her side's adventurous style, they continued to generate chances and they were quickly back on terms when Anna Sandberg scored her maiden strike for the club.

Sandberg could not have struck her shot any better, angling her boot perfectly over the sphere to arrow a half-volley powerfully beyond the keeper from just outside the box.

Respectful Occasion Amid Storm

This fixture was played amid inclement weather, which brought swirling rain and gusts of breeze, and commenced with a minute’s reflection after the tragic incident on a synagogue in the city on the previous day, with the hosts also sporting armbands as a sign of tribute.

Additionally, both sets of teams joined together in a group pre-match to oppose racial discrimination at the beginning of this important period, in a week when the Peterborough United footballer Rai experienced discriminatory remarks.

The England and Tottenham attacker Jessica Naz was the target of abuse on the internet over a week previously.

Improved United Challenge Chelsea

The match took place at the ground where the Blues clinched last season’s championship, with a 1-0 victory in a fixture that had been quite even.

This appears to be a significantly better United squad since then, however, and they continued to threaten in the latter period, with Rolfö's deflected shot looping on to the upper part of the crossbar before Jess Park's curling attempt flew just over.

Malard, on as a substitute, pulled a low shot wide with 21 minutes remaining.

Late Drama Results in Share of Spoils

Marc Skinner had said on midweek that he wanted his team to be brave and “demonstrate to the opposition that you can defeat them”, and they definitely seemed to respond to his motivational words as they continued to play with energy and offensive intent, while the visitors stayed dangerous at the other end too, with Beever-Jones coming close.

So great was the extent of the test the champions were being faced with, there was even a uncommon moment of annoyance from Sonia Bompastor, with the Chelsea coach given a yellow card in the later stages after she complained about a set-piece decision awarded to her side.

Chelsea’s Sjoeke Nüsken bent an effort just wide of a post as the away team began to look for a last-gasp decisive goal, and Alyssa Thompson was nearly able to race through on to a loose ball within the box but she was tackled by the alert United goalkeeper Tullis-Joyce, who then sprang down to her side to keep out a Walsh shot shortly later.

Guro Reiten had a attempt blocked in added time, as increasing Chelsea pressure grew, but in the end a tie was a fairly fair result and sets the weekend’s action up nicely before the other two title contenders, Manchester City and the Gunners, face off on the weekend.

These teams will be hungry to capitalise on Chelsea and United sharing a point, with Manchester City able to close to within a point of the leaders if they win.