Sky Sports provided a comprehensive recap of Sunday’s fixtures in the Women's Super League, highlighting Chelsea’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village – the first win of the season for the Blues. Both sides had failed to secure three points during the opening weekend, but it was United, under their new manager Eva Olid, who looked the most rattled, suffering a harsh introduction to top‑flight football at home.
Chelsea entered the break already in complete control, thanks to a well‑crafted strike from Sjoeke Nusken and a superb effort by the ever‑impressive Keira Walsh, who curled a powerful shot from the edge of the box into the top corner. The second half saw the visitors maintain their dominance, adding goals from the match‑winner Lauren James in the 61st minute, Ellie Carpenter five minutes later, and a final flourish from Lucy Bronze with the last kick of the game. United’s quest for their inaugural league win this campaign now stretches ahead of a demanding encounter with Arsenal on Saturday. In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the sole unbeaten side after a convincing 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa.
Villa had managed a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the opening round, but that resilience evaporated within the first 14 minutes of the second‑week clash. Akane Okuma, the hero of Stamford Bridge, made a costly error when she mis‑controlled a corner, allowing defender Jade Rose to tap the ball home for City. Mary Fowler then doubled the lead with a clinical finish from just outside the penalty area. Villa fought back before the interval, with debutant Amalie Vangsgaard narrowing the deficit, but the visitors soon re‑asserted control.
After hitting the post early in the second half, Khadija Bunny Shaw displayed her predatory instincts, scoring a delicate dink after winning the ball high up the pitch. Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement by assisting Shaw, later added a fourth in stoppage time; her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken before finding the far corner.
The win extended the defending champions’ lead to two points at the summit, keeping them alone with a perfect start. Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace earned a hard‑won 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates, thanks largely to an inspired performance from French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin.
The Gunners unleashed a staggering 30 attempts, nine of which were on target, yet they could not breach the Palace net. The most promising chance fell to England striker Alessia Russo just before halftime; a superb left‑wing cross found her, but her shot sailed wide of an open goal, underscoring the fine margins that defined the match. Brighton secured a dramatic 2-2 draw with fellow newcomers Birmingham after a late comeback. Birmingham had taken a two‑goal lead by the 60th minute through goals from Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite, appearing poised to claim their first points of the season.
However, Brighton applied relentless pressure, and Kiko Seike’s last‑minute strike from a tight angle completed the comeback, slipping under the outstretched arms of Birmingham’s goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley. Baggaley had earlier produced a series of impressive saves to keep Brighton at bay, but defensive lapses in the final minutes proved costly.
At Goodison Park, Charlton suffered a 1-0 defeat to Everton after being reduced to nine players. Following a 4-0 loss to Liverpool on the opening weekend, the Addicks showed marked improvement against their Merseyside rivals, only to concede a late own‑goal when Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe. The goal came less than 15 minutes from full‑time, after Charlton had already been forced to play with ten after Ashleigh Neville received a straight red for a high challenge on Ruby Mace.
The situation worsened when Hawa Cissoko collected two yellow cards in quick succession during stoppage time, leaving the team with just nine on the field when the final whistle blew. The loss leaves the newly promoted Charlton second from bottom, ahead of Manchester United only on goal difference. Liverpool’s encounter with Tottenham Hotspur ended in a 1-1 draw despite the Reds’ dominance at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Tottenham seized the lead against the run of play when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross from the left byline that deflected off Sam Kerr and looped over goalkeeper Khiara Keating just before halftime. Liverpool fought back in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading in a near‑post equaliser shortly before the hour mark.
Although Liverpool continued to press for a winner, they were unable to find a breakthrough and settled for a point. Overall, the second round of WSL fixtures delivered a mixture of dominant performances, hard‑earned draws, and disappointing defeats, setting the stage for an increasingly competitive season as teams adjust tactics and integrate new signings. The league’s narrative is already shaping around a tight title race, a battle for European spots, and a fierce struggle for survival among the promoted clubs, promising plenty of drama in the weeks ahead.