Following a short hiatus for the FA Cup, the Ladies’s Tremendous League (WSL) returned in full drive over the weekend and, as soon as once more, the query was: can anybody cease Chelsea? Lauren James‘ last-gasp winner to seal a 2-1 victory towards Everton rapidly urged that, even when they’re run shut, no … no-one can.
On what was a crushing weekend for away groups, the Toffees acquired off flippantly as backside aspect Crystal Palace fell to a 3-1 loss away to Manchester United, Arsenal routed Spurs 5-0, Leicester Metropolis hit Aston Villa for 3, West Ham delivered a 3-1 defeat to Brighton, and Manchester Metropolis eased to a 4-0 win over Liverpool.
In Europe, French league leaders Lyon put in one other robust displaying to wreck Guingamp 7-0, whereas Paris FC claimed a 4-0 win at house to Saint-Étienne. Actual Madrid snatched all three factors deep in stoppage time towards Levante Badalona in Liga F and, in Germany, VfL Wolfsburg have been the large winners as they took Frauen-Bundesliga leaders Eintracht Frankfurt aside 6-1.
James delivers last-gasp winner
After a aim drought relationship again to September and spells on the sidelines resulting from harm, England star Lauren James delivered a dramatic winner for Chelsea towards Everton.
The hosts appeared destined to drop factors for under the second time this season after the Toffees struck first simply after half-time. Chelsea managed to equalize by means of Mayra RamÃrez, however they struggled to interrupt down Everton’s defence because the minutes ticked on. Then, deep into stoppage time, James stepped as much as ship a rocket of a shot into the underside nook.
James’ heroics got here simply days after she earned a recall to the England squad on Tuesday. The 23-year-old, who hadn’t featured for Sarina Wiegman’s aspect since April 2024 resulting from persistent lower-leg accidents, now appears to be like set to make her long-awaited return to the worldwide stage after returning to the pitch for the Blues firstly of January. — EK
Leicester win sparks hassle for Palace
Leicester’s commanding 3-0 victory over fellow strugglers Aston Villa is a outstanding achievement for a workforce which have had points all season — particularly when you think about that these three objectives account for a 3rd of their whole tally (9) this marketing campaign. Nonetheless, the consequence additionally spells hassle for Crystal Palace, who now sit 4 factors adrift of Villa on the backside.
Promoted on the finish of final season, Palace are the most recent victims of the widening gulf between the WSL’s prime and backside sides. Like Bristol Metropolis earlier than them, they’ve proven indicators of progress, even managing to attain towards Manchester United — one thing no different lower-ranked aspect had carried out this season — however, regardless of their enhancements, Palace now seem destined to drop straight again all the way down to the second tier. — EK
Wolves maul Eagles
In mid-October, having already surrendered 5 factors within the league and contemporary off a Champions League group-stage defeat (1-0 away to Roma), Wolfsburg beat Bayern Munich 2-0. In mid-December, after a harmful defeat to Bayer Leverkusen within the league, they smashed six previous AS Roma to make sure development to the knockout levels of the UWCL.
So, having struggled to a 0-0 draw towards FC Köln final weekend earlier than dropping 1-0 to Hoffenheim within the DFB-Pokal Frauen in midweek, there was just one plan of action for Wolfsburg once they stepped onto the pitch towards league leaders Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
It isn’t nearly exorcising dangerous outcomes for the She Wolves; it is about choosing up assertion wins to remind everybody of the workforce they as soon as have been.
Inside eight minutes, Alex Popp’s header and Lineth Beerensteyn‘s neat end put them 2-0 up. By half-time, two penalties and an personal aim noticed Frankfurt, who had one of the best defence within the league (with solely 5 objectives conceded in whole earlier than this sport), torn aside and 5-0 down.
The second half noticed a late comfort from Carlotta Wamser however Frankfurt have been by no means going to come back again from their early struggles. Coming into the sport off 120 Pokal minutes towards Bayern within the midweek, the Eagles appeared drained. However, crucially, Wolfsburg did what they used to do finest and punished them fully. — SL
QUICK HITS
EIGHT. A Actual late displaying. Regardless of their perpetual struggles towards Barcelona in Liga F and past, there is no such thing as a query Actual Madrid have improved this season. However an space of enchancment we must always speak about extra is their self-belief and resilience. As soon as once more, this weekend noticed Madrid seize all three factors in stoppage time as they delivered a painful 3-2 loss to Levante Badalona for the second time this season [the first was 3-1 with two late goals in November] with Alba Redondo scoring the important aim. But it surely’s not simply in Liga F that Madrid have pushed till the ultimate whistle, with Melanie Leupolz‘s stoppage-time winner an important springboard for his or her development within the Champions League again in September.
SEVEN. Shaw sends a message. There isn’t a query that Bunny Shaw is without doubt one of the WSL’s classiest and finest strikers, identical to there is no query about how a lot Metropolis miss the Jamaica worldwide when she’s not within the squad. Having taken herself out of competition for a midweek cup sport towards Arsenal earlier this month resulting from struggling racist and misogynistic abuse after their WSL conflict with the Gunners days earlier, Shaw selected to rejoice her opener towards Liverpool this weekend by bowing her head and elevating her proper fist. The “Black Energy” salute was a silent present of defiance and Metropolis supervisor Gareth Taylor stated of the gesture after the 4-0 win: “It is highly effective. She’s a proud Black girl and, the place she is from, means rather a lot to her. We are going to at all times help her, and the response of the group meant rather a lot to her.”
SIX. Chapéu, Fenottes. When Division 1 Féminine leaders Lyon play the workforce on the foot of the desk, there’s solely ever going to be one final result: a soul-destroying defeat for his or her opposition. In opposition to Guingamp, a aspect with solely three factors and as many objectives conceded this season as Lyon have scored (61), Lyon have been at all times going to be dominant. Kadidiatou Diani‘s hat trick was the spotlight on paper however, actually, Lyon’s easy soccer — the place they moved the ball round with ease and by no means appeared like they have been overexerting themselves — must be what’s talked about.
FIVE. West Ham iron out the creases. Brighton did themselves no favours in Dagenham on Sunday afternoon however, as soon as once more within the WSL, the event of a workforce on the decrease finish of the desk was palpable as West Ham eased to victory. With half of the possession however twice as many pictures, the Irons hold displaying their resilience and development that has adopted every switch window. And Brighton, who began the season so effectively, at the moment are 10 factors adrift of the highest 4.
FOUR. Granada trying up. With an hour gone towards Granada, Espanyol appeared to be on their approach to a primary win in seven video games till the hosts hit them for 2 objectives in as many minutes to seal a 2-1 win. First, Edna Imade made up for an earlier penalty miss by sweeping house, earlier than Ariadna Mingueza fired in from exterior the realm. It was a great distance from a fluke for Granada. A workforce simply two factors off relegation final season, the NazarÃes have been constant all season, with only one loss of their final 12 matches in all competitions — and even that was towards Actual Madrid. They’re scoring extra, conceding much less and look solely at house as a midtable Liga F workforce.
THREE. Hope for Köln? It has not been a very pleasurable season for the Billygoats. Certainly, throughout the membership’s entire historical past, Köln have hardly ever excelled within the girls’s sport and too usually look out of their depth within the prime flight. Nonetheless, since bringing Britta Carlson into the pinnacle coach position on the flip of the 12 months, the workforce have taken fast steps and though they fell to a 2-0 defeat towards Freiburg this weekend, they have been the primary objectives the workforce have conceded in three league outings.
TWO. Paris FC flex. With Clara Matéo main the Première Liege goal-scoring charts on 15 objectives, it will be simple to counsel that Paris FC are a one-woman workforce. However with Matéo dominated out towards Saint-Étienne, the second-placed workforce confirmed their depth and power with Maëlle Garbino (2), Mathilde Bourdieu and Kessya Bussy all getting on the scoresheet in a 4-0 win.
ONE. Kelly returns. Emily Fox‘s gorgeous strike was the cherry on the cake for Arsenal as they took aside a Tottenham aspect that appeared solely out of their depth in a 5-0 defeat on the Emirates. However one of many subplots of the day was Chloe Kelly‘s first minutes for the Gunners in 2,815 days [she last played for them in 2017]. Having spent many of the season sitting on the bench in Manchester, with little hope of constructing the England squad forward of this summer time’s Euro 2025 event, Kelly would have needed the switch saga to finish ahead of it did. However, on Sunday, it was superb how little rust she confirmed as she creating 4 possibilities towards Spurs from only a 30-minute cameo. — SL
