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The Blues and United each kept their undefeated beginnings to the WSL campaign, although the defending champions' perfect winning record was brought to an end by an thrilling match between the leading teams.

This outcome prolonged Manchester United's frustratingly lengthy drought for a first Women's Super League win over Chelsea but they will have taken significant encouragement from their display, on a night when each side generated numerous chances to win and the home side showed they could very well have the qualities to launch a serious championship bid.

Fast-Paced Opening Features Quick Scores

For a match contested between the teams with the top two defence records in the Women's Super League last term, and which had conceded the fewest goals so far this campaign before the start, the game began in a unexpectedly end-to-end manner as both pushed forward early on.

The match opened at such a rapid pace that it could easily have been 2-2 within the first six minutes, with the goalkeeper saving with her feet from Elisabeth Terland, Macario's effort being blocked by Le Tissier, Jess Park shooting narrowly over the bar and then Beever-Jones doing the same when she certainly seemed certain to find the net.

Chelsea then provide the opener the early flurry of attacks had promised, as Wieke Kaptein met Macario's clever flicked ball and placed a precise, deadly shot into the bottom into the side of the net, as the hosts conceded a WSL goal for only the second time this term.

Anna Sandberg's Spectacular Equaliser

Manchester United had been defeated in 10 of their previous 11 WSL meetings with the Blues, but this assured iteration of Skinner's side were unwilling to surrender.

Driven by the skillful runs of Jess Park, who appeared determined to dance her way past as many opposition players as possible and was the driving force of her side's attacking play, they continued to create opportunities and they were soon back on terms when Sandberg netted her maiden goal for the team.

She could not have struck her shot any sweeter, positioning her foot expertly over the sphere to arrow a half-volley powerfully beyond the keeper from just outside the area.

Respectful Occasion During Bad Weather

The game was played during Storm Amy, which produced swirling rain and strong bursts of wind, and started with a minute’s reflection following the terrorist attack on a synagogue in the city on the previous day, with the hosts also sporting armbands as a sign of respect.

Furthermore, both sets of teams joined together in a group pre-match to oppose racial discrimination at the start of this important period, in a time when the Peterborough footballer Kira Rai suffered discriminatory remarks.

The England and Tottenham attacker Jessica Naz was the target of racism on the internet nine days previously.

Stronger Manchester United Challenge Chelsea

The match took place at the stadium where Chelsea clinched last season’s championship, with a 1-0 victory in a fixture that had been fairly balanced.

However, this looks like a significantly better United squad from that time, however, and they persisted to threaten in the latter period, with Rolfö's redirected shot looping on to the upper part of the bar before Park's swerving effort soared narrowly over.

Melvine Malard, introduced from the bench, dragged a ground-level shot off target with 21 minutes remaining.

Late Action Sees Share of Points

Marc Skinner had said on midweek that he wanted his side to be courageous and “show Chelsea that you can beat them”, and they certainly appeared to respond to his motivational words as they kept to perform with energy and attacking intent, while Chelsea remained threatening at the other end too, with Aggie Beever-Jones coming close.

So great was the level of the challenge the champions were being faced with, there was even a rare moment of annoyance from Bompastor, with the visiting coach given a yellow card in the later stages after she complained about a set-piece decision against her side.

Chelsea’s Sjoeke Nüsken curled an effort only off target of a upright as the visitors started to look for a last-gasp winner, and Thompson was nearly able to race forward on to a loose ball inside the box but she was tackled by the quick-thinking United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who then dived down to her side to keep out a Walsh effort shortly after.

Reiten had a attempt deflected in added time, as increasing Chelsea pressure intensified, but ultimately a draw was a fairly fair outcome and sets the round's fixtures up nicely before the remaining title contenders, City and the Gunners, go head-to-head on the weekend.

These teams will be hungry to take advantage on Chelsea and United sharing a result, with Manchester City able to move to just one point of the leaders if they win.