Chelsea maintained a two-point lead at the top of the Women’s Super League after five games took place on Sunday, March 7.
Chelsea Keep a Two-Point Lead Over Manchester City at the Top of the Women’s Super League
Chelsea Overcome West Ham United in the Women’s Super League
Goals from Sam Kerr and Beth England secured a comfortable 2-0 win for Chelsea against West Ham United at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Kerr broke the deadlock with just seven minutes on the clock when she powered home a header from England’s cross to score her seventh league goal of the season.
The Australia international then returned the favour for England, who headed in her own perfectly-weighted cross two minutes into the second half.
Fran Kirby and substitute Guro Reiten had chances to make the scoreline more emphatic late on, after being denied by the woodwork and Hammers keeper Courtney Brosnan respectively.
The result means Chelsea have now won five successive FAWSL away games without conceding a goal, as they kept their place on top of the table.
For West Ham, their winless run was extended to four games and a total of eight points from 14 games leaves them only two points clear of Bristol City, who could leapfrog the Hammers off the foot of the table with a win over Reading on March 8.
Manchester City Edge Out Everton
Manchester City secured a ninth consecutive FAWSL win with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Everton at the Academy Stadium.
Keira Walsh’s superb 81st-minute strike was eventually enough to overcome a resolute Toffees side and remain within two points of Chelsea at the top of the table.
City wasted several early opportunities to take the lead through Ellen White and Sam Mewis, but Gareth Taylor’s side didn’t rue those misses and continued their excellent run of form.
It was a first defeat in four games for Willie Kirk’s team, who sit fifth in the table with 22 points from 15 games.
Brighton & Hove Albion Overcome Tottenham Hotspur
Brighton & Hove Albion secured a third straight victory in the FAWSL for the first time with a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the People’s Pension Stadium.
Inessa Kaagman scored both goals with two brilliant strikes to move Brighton onto 18 points from 16 games, and now sit comfortably in mid-table.
There was very little action of note before Kaagman’s first goal, but Seagulls defender Emma Koivisto was forced to clear Shelina Zadorsky’s shot off the line in a forgettable first half.
Zadorsky, Siri Worm and Kit Graham all saw their attempts hit the crossbar after the break, while Brighton’s Nora Heroum and Megan Connolly both hit the woodwork late on as the game finished 2-0.
The result leaves Brighton in seventh and one point adrift of Reading in sixth, while Spurs sit eighth with 12 points from 14 games.
Manchester United Sweep Aside Aston Villa
The first game of the day saw Manchester United comfortably sweep aside Aston Villa with a 3-0 win at Leigh Sports Village.
Casey Stoney’s side went into the break with a commanding lead thanks to Kirsty Hanson’s deflected strike and Jess Sigsworth’s header.
Katie Zelem added extra gloss to the scoreline in the 73rd minute after meeting Hayley Ladd’s cross with a header to make the final score 3-0 to the hosts.
The result was a perfect response to back-to-back FAWSL defeats for United against Reading and Manchester City respectively and leaves them third with 35 points from 16 games.
For Villa, it was another defeat following last week’s 4-0 loss to Arsenal and they remain tenth with ten points from 14 games.
Arsenal Hit Birmingham City for Four
Arsenal recorded a consecutive 4-0 victory after a convincing win against Birmingham City at St George’s Park.
Caitlin Foord scored a brace late in the first half to put the Gunners in control of the contest, before Vivianne Miedema and Lisa Evans added two more goals for the north Londoners in the second half.
The three points keep Joe Montemurro’s side fourth in the table and on the heels of Manchester United, who occupy the third and final Champions League spot.
The gap between the two side remains at six points, but Arsenal have a game in hand over the Red Devils.
As for Birmingham, they are now without a win in six matches and sit ninth with 11 points from 13 games.
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