Chelsea Women Return to Top of WSL with 3-0 Win over Aston Villa
Match Highlights and Live Updates
Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Chelsea FC Women secured an emphatic 3-0 victory against Aston Villa WFC on Wednesday, propelling them to the top of the Women's Super League standings on goal difference.
Aggie Beever-Jones opened the scoring for Chelsea in the 25th minute, followed by a stunning strike from Erin Cuthbert before halftime. The Blues maintained their dominance in the second half, with Guro Reiten adding the final nail in Villa's coffin in the 78th minute.
The victory marked a significant moment for Chelsea, as they regained the top spot in the WSL after Arsenal had temporarily occupied it. The Blues' superior goal difference of +20 puts them ahead of the Gunners, who sit on +19.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, remain in the bottom half of the table, currently occupying 10th place with 15 points from 18 games. The loss snapped their two-game winning streak and dented their hopes of a top-half finish.
Chelsea's manager, Emma Hayes, expressed her delight with her team's performance and praised their resilience after a difficult start to the season.
"We've been through a lot this year, but we're showing that we're a team that never gives up," Hayes said. "We played with great intensity and quality today, and I'm so proud of the players."
Aston Villa manager Carla Ward acknowledged Chelsea's superiority but remained positive about her team's prospects.
"Chelsea are a fantastic team, and they showed their quality today," Ward said. "We defended well in the first half, but we were punished for our mistakes in the second half. We'll learn from this and come back stronger."
The win extends Chelsea's unbeaten run in the WSL to seven games, with their last defeat coming against Manchester United in February. The Blues will aim to continue their winning streak when they face Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
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