As the title of the Match Overview already said, in a short season it’s keep up or fall down in the Women’s Super League. Whereas Arsenal managed to get a much needed win against West Ham United, it was another game of just falling short for Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur. 

The Women’s Football Blog game of the weekend

The Women’s Football Blog’s game of the weekend was the Sunday evening clash between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at a packed Kingsmeadow Stadium. Fans on both sides were buzzing with anticipation, and the match didn’t disappoint.

Chelsea came out strong and were rewarded early, with Mika Hamano finding the back of the net in the 10th minute. The goal stemmed from a brilliant run down the right wing by Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd, who cut the ball back from the byline for Hamano to finish. Although Tottenham goalkeeper Becky Spencer managed to get hands to the shot, the power and proximity made it impossible to keep out.

Despite falling behind, Spurs began to find their rhythm and soon struck back, albeit in controversial fashion. Amanda Nilden’s shot seemed to have been kept out by Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton, but the assistant referee – questionably out of line with the goal – raised his flag, awarding Tottenham a fortunate equalizer. Spurs grew in confidence after that and nearly took the lead when Drew Spence, facing her former club, sent a shot just wide.

As the first half drew to a close, misfortune struck for Nilden again. While attempting to clear a front-post corner, she inadvertently turned the ball into her own net, giving Chelsea a 2-1 advantage at the break.

The second half saw both teams pressing for more goals, though clear-cut chances were few and far between. That changed in the 70th minute when Millie Bright sent a cross into the box, and Rytting-Kaneryd unleashed a stunning volley, striking the ball directly out of the air to make it 3-1 in sensational style.

Chelsea then won a penalty, which Guro Reiten struck against the post, but Sandi Baltimore was quickest to react, slotting in the rebound to give Chelsea a commanding 4-1 lead.

Late goals from Eveliina Summanen for Spurs and another for Rytting-Kaneryd capped off a thrilling encounter, as Chelsea ran out 5-2 winners. Despite a spirited performance, Tottenham once again came up short against one of the league’s heavyweights, leaving them in 8th place with just 4 points from 5 games. Chelsea, on the other hand, maintained their perfect start to the season and sit 2nd in the table, just behind Manchester City with a game in hand.

Manchester City come back from behind again

Manchester City struggled for much of the game against a resilient Aston Villa, finding themselves trailing 0-1 after a well-taken goal by Gabi Nunes. City seemed short on ideas, and without the brilliance of Lauren Hemp, they might have been staring at defeat.

Hemp was the spark City desperately needed. In the 62nd minute, she produced a moment of individual brilliance, beating defenders before firing home a superb equalizer. Soon after, Hemp showcased her dribbling skills again, weaving through three Villa defenders to set up Jill Roord, who calmly slotted home her first goal since returning from an ACL injury.

Aston Villa had a late opportunity to level the score, with Sarah Mayling coming close to tapping in from a free kick, but the chance went begging. City held on for a hard-fought win.

Arsenal push through to get the win

With interim coach Sleegers at the helm, Arsenal faced a tough London derby against West Ham United. Despite dominating possession, Arsenal struggled to create meaningful chances. The match was a milestone for two key players: Lia Wälti, who made her 100th WSL appearance, and Kim Little, marking her 350th game for the club. However, Little found herself frustrated throughout, with her passing accuracy dipping and the wide players drifting too narrowly, congesting the midfield even further.

In the 58th minute, Arsenal made a bold quadruple substitution, bringing on Rosa Kafaji, Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius, and Kyra Cooney-Cross for Leonhardsen-Maanum, Caitlin Foord, Alessia Russo, and Little. The changes had an immediate impact. In the 71st minute, Blackstenius was brought down in the box, earning Arsenal a penalty, which Mariona Caldentey confidently slotted home.

As West Ham pushed forward late in the game, Arsenal sealed the result with a textbook counterattack in the 89th minute. Caldentey, Blackstenius, and Kafaji combined brilliantly to secure a 2-0 lead, giving Arsenal the cushion they desperately needed.

After a turbulent period for the club, the international break will offer the players a chance to reset and return refreshed for the challenges ahead.