Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates on Saturday to extend their perfect start to the Women’s Super League season under new boss Sonia Bompastor.
Bompastor’s predecessor Emma Hayes, now head coach of the United States women’s national team, was in attendance as first-half goals from Mayra Ramírez and Sandy Baltimore proved enough to claim all three points in the London derby.
Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images
The result increases pressure on Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall, whose team have now won just one of their opening four games in the WSL and were beaten 5-2 by Bayern Munich in the UEFA Women’s Champions League earlier in the week.
Both Chelsea goals capitalised on suspect defending from the hosts. Ramírez pulled off an audacious scooped finish over her head as she reacted fastest to a bouncing ball from a corner to give her side the lead in the fourth minute.
Twelve minutes later, England international Lauren James showed off her skills on the right hand side before lofting a cross to the far post, where Baltimore was waiting unmarked to nod the ball past Daphne van Domselaar.
Caitlin Foord scored just before the break to give the home crowd hope of a result, but Chelsea managed the late-game pressure and held out for the win. Substitute Stina Blackstenius had the best of the Arsenal chances and hit the bar but could not breach Hannah Hampton‘s net.
“It was a top game, we were expecting that, and it’s always good to win,” Bompastor told the BBC after the game. “I think we did well in the first [half], not good in the second one.”
Asked about her 100% record so far with the west London-based team, the former Lyon coach added: “Yeah it couldn’t be better for me.”
