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The Blues and United each kept their undefeated beginnings to the Women’s Super League season, although the defending champions' perfect victorious record was halted by an exciting contest between the top two.

This outcome extended United's frustratingly long drought for a first Women's Super League win over Chelsea but they will have taken great encouragement from their display, on a night when both teams created plenty of chances to win and the home side demonstrated they may well have the attributes to launch a genuine championship bid.

Fast-Paced Opening Sees Quick Scores

For a game played between the sides with the top two defensive records in the Women's Super League last term, and which had conceded the least goals so far this season before the start, the game 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 within the first six minutes, with Hannah Hampton stopping with her legs from the forward, Catarina Macario's effort being blocked by Maya Le Tissier, Jess Park shooting narrowly over the bar and then Aggie Beever‑Jones following suit when she certainly seemed likely to score.

The visitors did then score the opener the early burst of offensive moves had promised, as Wieke Kaptein met Macario's smart back-heeled pass and slotted in a neat, clinical shot into the bottom into the side of the net, as the hosts let in a league score for only the second time this term.

Anna Sandberg's Stunning Leveler

United had been defeated in 10 of their previous 11 WSL fixtures with Chelsea, but this assured iteration of Marc Skinner's side were unwilling to surrender.

Driven by the skillful runs of Park, who appeared intent to skip her way past as numerous opposition players as possible and was the engine of her side's attacking play, they persisted to create chances and they were quickly back on terms when Sandberg scored her first goal for the team.

She could hardly have struck her strike any sweeter, positioning her boot expertly over the ball to drive a half-volley powerfully past the keeper from only beyond the box.

Solemn Occasion Amid Storm

The game was played during inclement weather, which brought driving precipitation and strong bursts of wind, and started with a minute’s silence after the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester on the previous day, with the home side also wearing armbands as a sign of tribute.

Furthermore, the two sides united in a group pre-match to oppose racial discrimination at the beginning of Black History Month, in a time when the Peterborough footballer Kira Rai suffered racist abuse.

England national team and Tottenham Hotspur attacker Jessica Naz was the victim of racism on the internet over a week previously.

Stronger United Challenge Chelsea

The match took place at the ground where the Blues clinched the previous campaign's championship, with a 1-0 victory in a game that had been quite even.

This looks like a much-improved United team since then, however, and they continued to pose a danger in the second half, with Rolfö's redirected effort floating on to the upper part of the crossbar before Park's swerving effort soared just over.

Melvine Malard, introduced from the bench, pulled a ground-level shot off target with over twenty minutes remaining.

Late Drama Results in Division of Spoils

Skinner had stated on midweek that he desired his team to be courageous and “show the opposition that you can beat them”, and they certainly appeared to react to his rallying cry as they kept to perform with intensity and offensive intent, while Chelsea stayed threatening at the opposite side too, with Aggie Beever-Jones going near.

So great was the extent of the test Chelsea were being faced with, there was even a uncommon instance of annoyance from Sonia Bompastor, with the visiting coach given a yellow card in the second half after she complained about a free-kick call against her side.

Chelsea’s Nüsken curled an effort only wide of a post as the away team started to search for a late decisive goal, and Thompson was almost able to race forward on to a unclaimed ball within the box but she was tackled by the alert home goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who then dived down to her left to deny a Keira Walsh shot shortly later.

Reiten had a attempt deflected in stoppage time, as late Chelsea attacks intensified, but in the end a draw was a relatively just result and prepares the round's fixtures up nicely before the remaining title contenders, Manchester City and the Gunners, go head-to-head on Saturday.

These teams will be hungry to capitalise on Chelsea and Manchester United sharing a result, with Manchester City in a position to close to just one point of the leaders if they win.