LONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea’s Mayra Ramirez and Sandy Baltimore scored early goals to help their side beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday and move top of the Women’s Super League, landing an early blow to the Gunners’ title hopes.
Despite Chelsea’s home game with Manchester United being postponed last week, the Blues now lead the table with a perfect nine points after their opening three games, while Arsenal have five points from four and sit sixth in the 12-team standings.
Manchester City, who visit Liverpool on Sunday, are second on seven points after three matches, followed by Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United, who each have six points.
Chelsea took the lead in the fourth minute through Colombian striker Ramirez, who was left completely unmarked to hook the ball over her head and into the net as Arsenal’s defence stood flat-footed and looked on in shock.
All but a handful of Chelsea fans among the 45,860 crowd were silenced again 12 minutes later as fullback Baltimore stooped to head home a Lauren James cross to make it 2-0.
Arsenal’s hopes were reignited with a brilliant solo goal from Caitlin Foord two minutes before the break as she danced along the touchline before sweeping a shot form a very tight angle past goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and in at the far post.
That goal gave the Gunners their confidence back and they were much-improved in the second half, with substitute Stina Blackstenius missing a golden chance to grab a point with a late effort that struck the crossbar.
Chelsea heeded that warning, bringing on Nathalie Bjorn and Ashley Lawrence to close the game out, holding on for a win that maintains new coach Sonia Bompastor’s 100% league record so far.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)
