Chelsea edge Man City as WSL title defense begins in style

Reigning Women’s Super League champions Chelsea launched their bid for a seventh straight crown with a gritty 2-1 victory over title rivals Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

On a lively opening night in west London, the Blues unveiled new £1m signing Alyssa Thompson to the crowd and welcomed back star striker Sam Kerr, though she was limited to a watching role from the sidelines.

Goals from Aggie Beever-Jones and Maika Hamano, both well-crafted and almost mirror images either side of half-time, proved decisive in handing Sonia Bompastor a record-breaking 20th WSL win – the fastest any manager has reached that landmark.

Chelsea Efficient, City Left Frustrated

While Chelsea celebrated, they were far from dominant. Niamh Charles’ own goal gave City hope late on and made for a tense finale, but goalkeeper Hannah Hampton’s heroics – including crucial saves from Yui Hasegawa and Lily Murphy – preserved the points.

City, who saw Alex Greenwood and Murphy limp off injured, will feel aggrieved, they mustered 17 shots to Chelsea’s eight, created three big chances, and produced a higher xG (expected goals) return, but were undone by the champions’ ruthless finishing.

Bunny Shaw was left ruing missed opportunities despite recording the highest xG (0.56) of any player on the pitch, while Chelsea registered their lowest shot tally in a WSL game since February 2021.

Bompastor Pleased with Efficiency

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor admitted her side had to be clinical on a night when they were second-best statistically:

“I feel pleased about the performance and the result. We spoke about having a strong start and that’s what we did tonight.

We scored two great goals – being clinical makes the difference between these two teams.”

Debutant Ellie Carpenter, who assisted Beever-Jones for the opener, hailed the squad’s mentality:

“Everyone wants to beat Chelsea. You can see the winning mentality from day one. Even in training, everyone wants to win everything – and that transfers into games.”

Signs of Progress for City

Despite the defeat, new City boss Andree Jeglertz took positives from his side’s display. His tactical adjustments were clear, with central combinations between Lauren Hemp, Hasegawa and Kerstin Casparij regularly stretching Chelsea.

City finished with more passes in the opposition half (167), more duels won (51–44), and more shots on target – evidence that Jeglertz’s philosophy is bedding in.

“I’m disappointed because we deserved something based on how we played second half,” Jeglertz said.

“We challenged Chelsea throughout and we will definitely do that this season. You can see an evolution in how we want to play. We’ve shown in one game how far we’ve already come.”

Early Statement

Chelsea’s ruthless streak and City’s new-found aggression suggest both sides will be central to the title race. The Blues may not have been at their fluid best, but their ability to win under pressure once again underlines why they remain the team to beat.

⚽️ Next up: Chelsea travel to Tottenham for a London derby, while City host Aston Villa, as both clubs aim to build early-season momentum.