Chelsea moved to the top of the Women’s Super League with a 3-0 win at West Ham United, while London City Lionesses strengthened their title credentials by beating Tottenham Hotspur 6-1.
Chelsea have played one more match than champions Manchester City, who host Arsenal later on Sunday. Sonia Bompastor’s side had to wait until eight minutes before half-time to take the lead at Victoria Road, when summer signing Melvine Malard, recruited from Manchester United, calmly found the bottom corner.
West Ham continued to frustrate Chelsea after the break, but Keira Walsh settled the contest with a shot from the edge of the box 10 minutes from time. It was the England midfielder’s third goal of the season. Maika Hamano then headed in at the far post with three minutes remaining to preserve Chelsea’s unbeaten start.
London City Lionesses produced the biggest result of the day against a Tottenham side who had been unbeaten in the top flight.
Alexia Putellas scored twice, having opened her account for the club against Brighton last weekend. She needed only three minutes to score here, reacting first after Grace Geyoro’s long-range attempt was parried into her path.
Kadidiatou Diani made it 2-0 by finishing into an empty net after Lucia Corrales’ cross, her first Women’s Super League goal. Putellas added another from a corner following good work by Danielle van de Donk, who later missed an open goal.
Tottenham’s best first-half opportunity fell to Julie Blakstad, whose free-kick was tipped on to the crossbar. Seven minutes after the restart, Corrales converted Diani’s cross from the right, although the ball squirmed under goalkeeper Lize Kop.
Victoria Pelova pulled one back from Blakstad’s delivery, but Diani restored London City’s four-goal advantage when Kop’s attempted clearance struck her and she tapped into an unguarded net. Delphine Cascarino completed the scoring with virtually the final kick, squeezing her shot beneath Kop.
Ruby Mace scored twice as Everton beat Birmingham City 2-1, responding to her omission from Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for the forthcoming international break.
Mace opened the scoring after Yuka Momiki’s effort struck the post, finishing from inside the box. Everton had dominated the early stages, with Mace and Maria Vignola both testing Sophie Baggaley, but Oceane Hurtre equalised for Birmingham after leading a counter-attack. It was her fifth goal in five WSL matches.
Everton were dealt a serious injury blow when Zara Kramzar went off before half-time, while Birmingham controlled much of the second period. Hurtre had a penalty appeal rejected and Lily Crosthwaite curled wide, before Mace’s long-range strike took two deflections on its way into the far corner.
Birmingham remain without a WSL win since returning to the top flight and are second-bottom. Everton are fifth, above Merseyside rivals Liverpool again after last week’s derby defeat.
Abbie Larkin’s low long-range shot earned Crystal Palace a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa, cancelling out Noelle Maritz’s early second-half opener. Villa, managed by interim head coach Brian Sorensen following Natalia Arroyo’s dismissal earlier in the week, were fortunate to avoid defeat.
Georgia Mullet missed from close range for Villa, while Palace’s Shannon O’Brien missed a better chance in stoppage time.
Brighton & Hove Albion came from behind to beat Charlton Athletic 5-1, with Kiko Seike scoring twice. Cassandra Korhonen gave the visitors a third-minute lead, but Seike equalised after Olivia Garcia’s work before setting up Fran Kirby to put Brighton ahead.
Seike scored again soon after the interval, and stoppage-time goals from Maisie Symonds and Gabriele George completed Charlton’s fifth defeat since promotion.
