Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea took on high-flying Brighton at Kingsmeadow in the Women’s Super League (WSL) on Sunday, beating the visitors 4-2.
In their first game back since the international break, amidst the wet and windy conditions of Storm Darragh, Chelsea were not at their best against a resilient Brighton side, in a game that threatened to spoil their perfect record.
Having secured all three points however, champions Chelsea reinstated their commanding five point lead at the top of the WSL as second place Manchester City beat Leicester 4-0.
Brighton applied lots of pressure early on, in the eighth minute their striker Nikita Parris picked up a loose ball in the box, forcing a great save out of Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton from six yards out.
Hampton had a busy afternoon, making six saves for her side.
However, Chelsea knocked hard on Brighton’s door in the first half and eventually opened the scoring in the 35th minute, winning the ball from a high press following a Brighton goal kick.
Sjoeke Nüsken, Chelsea’s midfielder, bundled the ball in on the goal line as blue shirts swarmed the Brighton box.
Chelsea struck again in the 40th Minute as their striker, Aggie Beever-Jones, dispossessed the Brighton keeper inside the six yard box, allowing her a tap in and double Chelsea’s lead.
Brighton pulled a goal back just three minutes later though, as midfielder Jelena Čanković found the back of the net from just inside the box following a smart Brighton move led by Nikita Parris.
The response by Chelsea was positive though, scoring a third in the 51st minute through a deflection that bounced off midfielder Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and into the Brighton goal.
Kiko Seike, Brighton’s number 11, brought the score to 3-2 with 20 minutes to go as Hannah Hampton gave up possession in her own box, allowing Seike to finish with ease.
Despite Brighton threatening to equalise in the late stages of the game, the Blues finally put the game to bed in the 91st minute as Nüsken scored her second of the game from a corner.
Since Brighton appointed Dario Vidosic as head coach in July, they have been performing well, winning five in the league and offering Chelsea one of their toughest games of the season so far.
However, Brighton, who started the match week in third, have fallen to fifth place following both Manchester United’s 4-0 drubbing against Liverpool and Arsenal’s 4-0 victory over Aston Villa .
Chelsea stay top as they are chasing their sixth consecutive WSL title following the departure of highly successful Emma Hayes.
