Yahoo Sports WSL: Chelsea still unbeaten after seven-goal thriller vs Leicester
In a dramatic seven-goal thriller, Chelsea took all three points from Leicester. Emma Hayes’ side pulled off a dominant performance against the Foxes to keep them top of the league heading into the international break.
Leicester had been experiencing a mixed run of form ahead of their trip to Kingsmeadow. A penalty shootout victory over Manchester City had come hot on the heels of a heavy defeat to Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal.
Chelsea were unbeaten in the league, with their only draw coming away to Man City.
Starting XIs
Chelsea
Berger; Ingle, Carter, James, Kirby, Perisset, Mjelde, Kaneryd, Kerr, Charles, Cuthbert
Leicester
Leitzig; Nevin, Tierney, Bott, Howard, Palmer, Rantala, Petermann, Whelan, Cayman, Thibaud
How it went
With barely two minutes on the clock, Chelsea youngster Lauren James got her name on the scoresheet. Just three minutes later, an own goal from Courtney Nevin doubled the hosts lead. Jutta Rantala pulled a goal back for the Foxes in the 26th minute, reducing Hayes’ side’s lead to a single goal.
However, Sam Kerr quickly restored Chelsea’s two-goal lead with five minutes to play until the break. The Australian international capitalised on an excellent piece of play from Niamh Charles to nab Chelsea’s third of the evening.
A second for the visitors saw Sam Tierney reduce the deficit in the dying seconds of the opening half.
James bagged her brace for the afternoon shortly after half-time to edge the Blues ahead. The England star pulled off a lung-busting run from well outside the area to lift the ball over the onrushing Janina Leitzig.
A late fifth for the Blues came from Aggie Beever-Jones, with the rising star coming onto the pitch just minutes before the goal. The No.33 bagged the Blues fifth of the evening as Chelsea were in total control over Leicester.
Up next
Chelsea will face Arsenal at the Emirates following the international break. The blockbuster clash will be followed by an away visit to Häcken in the Champions League ahead of Hayes’ side welcoming Bristol City in the WSL.
Leicester will face back-to-back away days to Brighton and Manchester United before hosting West Ham for their final game of the calendar year.
