Charlton Women 0 Leicester City 0 (AET - Charlton win 2-1 on pens)
Charlton’s women made history in the most dramatic of fashions as they beat Leicester City on penalties to secure promotion to the WSL at The Valley on Sunday.
After 120 minutes of action in which neither side could break the deadlock, goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse proved to be the hero, making an incredible four saves in the resulting penalty shootout as the Addicks claimed victory in front of a record-breaking crowd in the The Play-Off presented by Mercedes-Benz.
The home side had the better of the first half on a sweltering day in the SE7 sunshine. Jodie Hutton saw an effort well blocked in the box early on, before Lucy Fitzgerald fired just wide following a corner, while another set-piece caused problems for the Foxes’ defence before they could clear their lines.
On 37 minutes, Emma Bissell turned well and fired narrowly wide as Charlton continued to turn the screw, but it was Leicester who very nearly took the lead on the stroke of half-time as Player of the Year Whitehouse pulled off an outstanding save.
After a set-piece was delivered into the box, the ball fell kindly to Shannon O’Brien who fired towards goal through a crowd of bodies. The Addicks number one adjusted her feet brilliantly to dive to her right and keep the goal bound effort out and ensure the sides would be heading for the break on level terms.
Charlton started the second half with yet more promise, coming close through a Lucia Lobato header, while Ellie Mason’s long-ranger dipped off target.
As the half wore on, tired legs began to show with the 28-degree heat taking its toll, resulting in a somewhat more cagey affair.
With eight minutes left of the 90, Sam Tierney sent a tame volley wide from the edge of the box for the visitors, while sub Ashleigh Williams’ header drew a good save from Whitehouse deep into injury time.
Indeed, with nothing to separate them after 90 minutes, it would mean that the sides would have to battle on for a further 30 minutes of extra time as the battle for a place in the WSL continued.
The Addicks very nearly took the lead in spectacular fashion in the early stages of extra time when Mason’s volleyed cross/shot from near to the left-hand corner flag was sent dipping towards goal, completely catching out Foxes stopper Katie Keane and bouncing only inches past the right-hand upright.
In the seventh minute of the extra 30, Charlton came even closer to breaking deadlock and, arguably, should have done but for an extremely tight offside decision.
Substitute Katie Lockwood sent a thunderous effort arrowing towards goal from 25 yards which was tipped onto the crossbar by Keane, but with Lobato on hand to nod into an empty net from the rebound.
However, the Addicks defender was immediately denied by the assistant referees flag, who deemed Lobato to have been in an offside position. Replays showed that it was extremely tight with a hint that Charlton may well have been hard done by.
In the 107th minute, Leicester came close with a spectacular effort of the their own when a corner was played to Heather Payne on the edge of the box. Her volley looked to be heading inside the post, but Whitehouse came to the rescue again, making a sprawling save to keep it goalless.
With neither side able to break through after more than 120 minutes of football, it would all come down to the drama of a penalty shootout.
Incredibly, the first three penalties were saved, with the Foxes missing their first two, while Katie Bradley mis-fired for the Addicks.
Amelie Thestrup was the first to hit the target, netting Charlton's second penalty, while Leicester scored their third to level up.
That would be their only converted spot-kick, however, with Whitehouse showing exactly why she's won multiple accolades this term.
While Fitzgerald’s penalty was also saved, Ellie Mason would score the Addicks’ decisive fourth, meaning that Leicester’s Noemie Mouchon would have to score to keep her side in it.
Whitehouse, however, would prove to be unbeatable, making yet another save to send Charlton into the top flight for the first time since 2008 and sparking wild scenes of celebration in SE7.
Charlton: Whitehouse, Fitzgerald, Skeels, Lobato, Mason; Muya (Ross 79), Bradley, Kenney, McAteer (Lockwood 80), Hutton (Humphrey 90+8), Bissell (Thestrup 68).
Subs (not used): Pedersen, Pearse, Finlayson, Waldie.
Booked: Mason 45+3 (foul), Muya 77 (foul), Fitzgerald 118 (foul), Whitehouse (delaying penalties)
Pens: Bradley (saved), Thestrup (scored), Fitzgerald (saved), Mason (scored)
Leicester City: Keane, Jansson (Payne 91), Kees (Swaby 88), Thibaud, Mayling (Mouchon 111), Tierney, McLoughlin, Ale (Williams 55), Rantala (Neville 55), Cain (van Egmond 55), O’Brien.
Subs (not used): Ayane, Goodwin, Leipzig.
Booked: Ale 19 (foul), McLoughlin 51 (foul), Jansson 60 (foul), Payne 115 (foul)
Pens: van Egmond (saved), O’Brien (saved), McLoughlin (Scored), Payne (saved), Mouchon (saved)
Att: 3,979 (556 from Leicester)
Referee: Emily Heaslip
