The Barclays Women’s Super League kicked off at Stamford Bridge tonight as champions Chelsea downed Manchester City 2-1.
The night began with an air of anticipation that only the first day of the new season can muster. Chelsea came into the match as the reigning domestic treble winners, unbeaten all season in the league last term. Their only defeat to a domestic rival last season? You guessed it, to Manchester City.
City had a summer of change and appointed a new head coach Andrée Jeglertz. The Swede took the dugout for his first competitive match in charge of the sky blues on Friday night. The visitors started two of their summer additions with both Canadian Jade Rose and former Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Sydney Lohmann starting. Youngsters Lily Murphy and Gracie Prior both also started after impressing in pre-season.
Sonia Bompastor started just one of her new summer signings with Ellie Carpenter signed from OL Lyonnes starting at right back. The big news pre-match for the home side came as Sam Kerr was fit enough to make the bench for the first time for almost 20 months. Chelsea unveiled new signing Alyssa Thompson from Angel City before kick off. That was alongside the EURO 2025 winning Lionesses of both sides receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.
The Lineups
CHE: Hampton, Carpenter, Bright, Björn, Charles, Walsh, Kaptein, Cuthbert, Hamano, Baltimore, Aggie Beever-Jones
MCI: Yamashita, Casparij, Rose, Prior, Greenwood; Hasegawa, Miedema, Lohmann, Murphy, Hemp, Shaw
The Action
The first shot of the new WSL season came from the boot of Manchester City’s star striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw. Shaw’s fierce effort stung the palms of Hannah Hampton after a loose pass in the Chelsea midfield from Walsh. Hemp had supplied the ball to Shaw and she was getting her foot on the ball impressively in the early minutes.
Chelsea’s first attempt was headered over the bar after Aggie Beever-Jones had taken aim from range. As the half wore on Chelsea began to turn up the heat and Carpenter was running riot down the far side. Her willing running caused issues for the visitors and in particular Alex Greenwood. The Australian found Sandy Baltimore lurking in the box. Baltimore turned on a sixpence in the box and fired an effort on goal which was majestically saved by Ayaka Yamashita after a deflection off Gracie Prior’s arm.
Chelsea would get their opener with just over half an hour gone. Carpenter was once again causing havoc on the wing, she ghosted past Greenwood before her inch perfect cross found Beever-Jones. The English striker directed the ball perfectly past Yamashita and into the back of the net.
City almost had an immediate reply with Shaw coming close twice but was denied on both occasions by Hampton. Greenwood came even closer from a free kick rattling the crossbar from just outside the box. Miedema also came close with a vicious effort from outside the box that whistled just wide.
Manchester City kicked off the second half brightly with a volleyed effort from Yui Hasegawa an early test that Hampton was equal to. Hasegawa again came close after smart interplay between Kerstin Casparij, Miedema set up Hemp in space her ball into the box was flicked magnificently just wide of the upright.
Chelsea doubled their lead with just over thirty minutes to play. Alex Greenwood was once again left in the dust of a willing Chelsea runner. This time it was Wieke Kaptein, the Dutch youngster eased past Greenwood and cut the ball across to find Maika Hamano who finished with clinical expertise.
Manchester City got on the scoresheet not long after. A wonderful whipped cross from Greenwood found the head of Niamh Charles who could only direct the ball past her own keeper. Manchester City attempted to complete the comeback with Shaw coming close from distance. But the match petered out a touch late on as Chelsea opened the defence of their title with victory.
Chelsea Player Ratings
Hannah Hampton – 8/10 – Made a smart early save from Shaw and thwarted the Jamaican throughout the first half. Hampton impressed with a new air of confidence tonight.
Ellie Carpenter – 9/10 – Showed some good early touches, swung an early ball into the box which had to be dealt with by Casparij at the back post. Set up the opening goal and was a relentless presence for the hosts.
Nathalie Björn – 7/10 – An accomplished performance from the centre back.
Millie Bright – 6/10 – Will be furious to be denied a clean sheet but was a largely quiet defensive performance.
Niamh Charles – 7/10 – Had a really strong defensive performance with more defensive actions than any other player. She has the chance to make that starting position in the back line her own this season. It is a shame her performance was dampened by the own goal.
Wieke Kaptein – 8/10 – Kaptein continues to impress and cement her place in the starting line up. Her marauding run in behind Greenwood was brilliant, her pick out of Hamano in the box, even better.
Keira Walsh– 7/10 – Kept things ticking nicely in midfield, a good performance from the midfielder.
Erin Cuthbert – 6/10 – Struggled to influence the match. Seemed to be withdrawn with injury.
Sandy Baltimore – 7/10 – Made an impressive early challenge and almost scored with a brilliant effort in the first half.
Maika Hamano – 8/10 – Took some smart touches and looked bright in the early exchanges. Wonderful positioning for the second goal.
Aggie Beever Jones – 8/10 – Her hold up play impressed linking attacks, she took her goal extremely well, staking her claim to the starting spot with the all star quarter back waiting in the wings.
Substitutes
Cat Macario – 61′ replaced Aggie Beever Jones
Oriane Jean-François – 77′ replaced Erin Cuthbert
Joanna Rytting-Kaneryd – 77 replaced Sandy Baltimore
Sjoeke Nüsken – 85′ replaced Wieke Kaptein
Manchester City Player Ratings
Ayaka Yamashita – 7/10 – Made a magnificent save to stop Baltimore in the first half and was solid throughout.
Kerstin Casparij – 6/10 – Combined well at times going forward but much of the action took place on the opposite side of the pitch.
Gracie Prior– 5/10 – Made a great challenge midway through the first half to disposes Hamano. Overall it was a tough evening for the centre back struggling for pace on the left side of defence.
Jade Rose – 6/10 – Did not track Beever-Jones’ run for the opening goal, was otherwise relatively solid.
Alex Greenwood– 5/10 – Struggled against the pace of Carpenter but almost equalised with a quite magnificent free kick. Was left behind by the Chelsea pace for both goals. Showed her character to whip in a wonderful ball that set up the leveller.
Yui Hasegawa – 7/10 – Always reliable from set pieces and almost scored the goal of the season with a deft back heel on opening night.
Vivianne Miedema – 5/10 – Uncharacteristically quiet despite the odd pot shot.
Sydney Lohmann – 7/10 – Struggled to get on the ball and affect play but was aggressive out of possession. Effective in the challenge, she won more tackles and more duels than any other player on the pitch.
Lily Murphy – 6/10 – Murphy curled a shot just wide when City were searching for an equaliser. Asserted herself better than she has in games of this magnitude before. Worryingly went down injured late on and had to be stretchered off.
Lauren Hemp – 8/10 – Wonderful first time pass to set up Shaw early on, showed impressive physicality. Always a threat for the visitors. Made more key passes than any other player as well as creating one big chance.
Khadija Shaw – 7/10 – An ever present danger, of course it was the Reggae Girl who struck the first shot of the season. Was uncharacteristically wasteful in front of goal, Hampton had the better of her today.
Substitutes:
Laura Blindkilde Brown– 77′ replaced Sydney Lohmann
Iman Beney – 85′ replaced Vivianne Miedema
Leia Ouahabi 90′ replaced Alex Greenwood
The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Ellie Carpenter
An incredibly bright debut from the Australian who caused so many issues for the visitors. She hardly put a foot wrong, and had more crosses and progressive passes than any other player on the pitch.
An exciting debut from the dynamic full back. One of her best moments aside from her wonderful assist came late on when she stewarded Hemp out of play, all in a night’s work.
