Emma Hayes praised the reaction of her players after Chelsea came from behind and battled back after the sending-off of the goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger to earn a 3-1 win from a feisty match with Tottenham and maintain their title charge.
“In crisis I think my team do really well,” the manager said. “There’s rarely times in the last few years [where] in crisis we go under. I thought that was an amazing display of courage, confidence, conviction, togetherness, camaraderie. You cannot understate it.”
The forward Sam Kerr was again the hero, heading in in the 71st minute to put Chelsea ahead for the first time and help extend their lead over Arsenal, who play away at Everton in the late kick-off, to four points.
Arsenal kept themselves a point behind Chelsea after a 3-0 win at Everton on Sunday.
Caitlin Foord broke the deadlock shortly before half-time when she slotted in a pass from Leah Williamson. It was 2-0 to the Gunners in the 67th minute after Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema set up Beth Mead for the England striker's 50th WSL goal. Jordan Nobbs wrapped things up with 15 minutes to go when she fired into the top corner after a one-two with Mead.
Manchester United saw their Champions League qualification push dented after being held to a goalless draw at Aston Villa. Martha Thomas went close in the first half for United, but Villa's stand-in goalkeeper Sian Rogers, deputising for injured England international Hannah Hampton, made a smart save.
United sit third, a point ahead of City, but having played a match more. City won 4-0 at home to Leicester with goals from Caroline Weir, Lauren Hemp, Julie Blakstad and Alex Greenwood.
West Ham moved up to sixth place with a 2-1 victory over Reading. Emma Snerle gave the visitors the lead just after half-time and Yui Hasegawa doubled their advantage late on before Faye Bryson scored a consolation. PA Media
Guro Reiten had cancelled out Sophie Ingle’s own goal in the first half shortly before Berger’s red, but Kerr’s goal and Jessie Fleming’s late strike gave the visiting team the win.
“It was the calmest dressing room in the world at half-time,” said Hayes. “Ever since [last month’s stoppage-time win over Aston] Villa it’s been extremely calm, in terms of, as it’s getting hectic, keep making the right decision, keep adjusting; and we do a lot of work off the pitch. This today was a victory for all the work we do behind the scenes.”
If there are banana skins on the path to the title, with Chelsea four games from retaining the trophy before kick-off, then back-to-back WSL games against Tottenham, with the two teams meeting again at Kingsmeadow on Thursday, are perhaps the slipperiest.
“In the nicest possible way I’m really not interested,” said Tottenham’s manager Rehanne Skinner of her team’s potential to influence the title race – they also play Arsenal on 4 May. “Take that politely. Arsenal are our biggest fans in these two games. We can only focus on what we do. We want to make sure we finish higher than last year and are consistently competing with teams like this and we gave that a really good go today.”
Spurs, having earned a 2-1 win over Manchester City and taken a point off both Manchester United and Arsenal, have learned how to compete against the league’s best under the former England assistant manager.
Liverpool enjoyed a 6-1 win over Sheffield United to cement their promotion and title-winning campaign in the FA Women’s Championship.
At Prenton Park, Katie Stengel scored twice, with Leanne Kiernan, Melissa Lawley, Missy Bo Kearns and Jasmine Matthews also on the scoresheet before the players and staff celebrated with the trophy after the final home game of the season.
With a game to play, London City Lionesses beat Bristol City to climb to second, meaning Bristol City in are in the third promotion place, level on points with Crystal Palace going into the final match of the season next week.
London play Blackburn next week while Bristol City are at Sunderland with Palace away at Sheffield United. Liverpool will sign off with a visit to Lewes.
In front of a strong cluster of home supporters, boosted by local girls’ teams, Spurs began brightly, unwilling to allow the champions a march to the title without a challenge.
After 15 minutes they had a shock lead but not an undeserved one as Molly Bartrip’s whipped corner ricocheted off the far post then in off the knee of the Chelsea midfielder Ingle.
Chelsea’s league resilience has been tested before. Hayes’ team had to exercise extreme patience to secure that win over Villa.
The equaliser here was beautiful and came from a player who has thrived as Chelsea battle injuries during the run-in. Reiten, released by the influential midfielder Ji So-yun, nutmegged the right-back Ash Neville before clipping a wonderful effort over the goalkeeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela from the tightest of angles.
There would be further pressure on Chelsea shortly after though. Rachel Williams, clean through on the right, took a touch that took her around Berger only for the goalkeeper to wipe out the forward and rightly receive a red card.
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In a blistering second half both teams went close but a stunning save by the backup keeper Zecira Musovic from Kerys Harrop’s clipped effort kept Chelsea level.
When the visitors took the lead the source was familiar. The full-back Jonna Andersson, who had just come on for Niamh Charles, picked up Reiten’s pass overlapping on the left before delivering neatly on to the head of Kerr, who rose highest to divert beyond Korpela. The substitute Fleming’s long-range strike into the top corner put the cherry on top as Chelsea took a big step closer to the title.
