Bethany England gave Chelsea the lead and Magdalena Eriksson made it 2-0 with a superb long shot. Vered Cohen put Israel back in the match with a looping header in the 64th minute before an elegant chip from Sophie Ingle made it 3-1.

Cohen said: “It was a marvellous experience and I hope that it raises awareness about the potential of the women’s game and the unequal resources that we are allocated.”

Abramovich, who has not watched a Chelsea men’s game in England for nearly 18 months, sat alongside Yossi Benayoun and Lord Polak in the VIP box.

While in Israel, the Chelsea delegation, led by chairman Bruce Buck, attended a training session for Israeli and Palestinian girls organised by the Peres Centre for Peace.