Chelsea Ladies resume Continental Tyres Cup campaign

Emma Hayes’s side won their opening group game at Reading, coming from behind to triumph 3-2 courtesy of an 89th-minute winner from Ji So-Yun, and will be looking to continue their impressive recent form against a team that have collected six points from their opening two games in group two.

With the FA Women’s Cup now standing proudly in the trophy cabinet, attention turns to adding to that collection and striker Marija Banusic admits that winning at Wembley has only increased the team’s taste for success.

Speaking to the official Chelsea website as we look ahead to the weekend action, she said: ‘We have big goals this season; the FA Cup was one of them but we’re still hungry to win more and both the Continental Cup and the WSL 1 are achievable for us.

‘Of course it will be tough but we’ll be doing whatever we can to win and I know that if every player does their best, then we’re going to have a very good end to the season. It’s important that we all stay fit and every player is available to play every game but obviously we have a lot of games coming up so we’re very well-prepared for that.’

Banusic arrived from Sweden at the start of the current campaign and has settled quickly into both life in England and at Chelsea.

‘The culture in England is different to that in Sweden but I feel settled already. It’s been great for me to come to Chelsea and work with so many top-level players, to be around them and to develop together with them as a team. For me, it’s about working hard in training every day and earning an opportunity in the team.’

The Blues have been praised for their team spirit in recent weeks and the 19-year-old believes it has been a key ingredient in their recent success.

‘Reading was a very difficult match but our spirit is strong, especially now we have won the FA Cup. We’re training hard because we know that Arsenal are tough opponents and so we’ll have to be at our best.

‘We won last weekend at home to Birmingham and it’s important for us that we get that winning record back at Staines. It felt good to win again in front of our supporters because they’re really important to us so we want to start another strong run at home again now.’

Chelsea Ladies host Arsenal in the Continental Tyres Cup this Sunday 16 August at Wheatsheaf Park, Staines Town. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or by payment at the turnstiles on the day of the game, priced at £5 for adults and £3 for concessions. Chelsea FC season-ticket holders can gain entry free. Emma Hayes’s side won their opening group game at Reading, coming from behind to triumph 3-2 courtesy of an 89th-minute winner from Ji So-Yun, and will be looking to continue their impressive recent form against a team that have collected six points from their opening two games in group two.

With the FA Women’s Cup now standing proudly in the trophy cabinet, attention turns to adding to that collection and striker Marija Banusic admits that winning at Wembley has only increased the team’s taste for success.

Speaking to the official Chelsea website as we look ahead to the weekend action, she said: ‘We have big goals this season; the FA Cup was one of them but we’re still hungry to win more and both the Continental Cup and the WSL 1 are achievable for us.

‘Of course it will be tough but we’ll be doing whatever we can to win and I know that if every player does their best, then we’re going to have a very good end to the season. It’s important that we all stay fit and every player is available to play every game but obviously we have a lot of games coming up so we’re very well-prepared for that.’

Banusic arrived from Sweden at the start of the current campaign and has settled quickly into both life in England and at Chelsea.

‘The culture in England is different to that in Sweden but I feel settled already. It’s been great for me to come to Chelsea and work with so many top-level players, to be around them and to develop together with them as a team. For me, it’s about working hard in training every day and earning an opportunity in the team.’

The Blues have been praised for their team spirit in recent weeks and the 19-year-old believes it has been a key ingredient in their recent success.

‘Reading was a very difficult match but our spirit is strong, especially now we have won the FA Cup. We’re training hard because we know that Arsenal are tough opponents and so we’ll have to be at our best.

‘We won last weekend at home to Birmingham and it’s important for us that we get that winning record back at Staines. It felt good to win again in front of our supporters because they’re really important to us so we want to start another strong run at home again now.’

Chelsea Ladies host Arsenal in the Continental Tyres Cup this Sunday 16 August at Wheatsheaf Park, Staines Town. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or by payment at the turnstiles on the day of the game, priced at £5 for adults and £3 for concessions. Chelsea FC season-ticket holders can gain entry free.