Sky Sports delivered a comprehensive recap of Sunday’s Women's Super League action, highlighting Chelsea’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village – the first win of the season for the Blues and a stark illustration of the difficulties faced by United’s new manager, Eva Olid, in her inaugural home match. Both sides had failed to secure points during the opening weekend of the campaign, but the visitors quickly asserted control, turning the encounter into a lesson in dominance for United.
By halftime, Chelsea had already built a comfortable lead, thanks to a well‑timed finish from Sjoeke Nusken and a spectacular strike by Keira Walsh, who curled a powerful drive from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner. The second half saw the onslaught continue, with Lauren James earning the player‑of‑the‑match award after netting in the 61st minute, followed by Ellie Carpenter’s goal just four minutes later.
The final tally was sealed in stoppage time when Lucy Bronze added her name to the scoresheet, completing a comprehensive rout. United’s quest for their first league win now heads into a demanding away fixture against Arsenal on Saturday, a test that will further expose the growing pains of Olid’s tenure.
In other WSL news, Manchester City remained the sole unbeaten side after a convincing 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa. Villa had managed a respectable 1-1 draw against Chelsea in the opening round, but their resilience unraveled within the first 14 minutes of the second‑week fixture. Akane Okuma, who had been a hero at Stamford Bridge, made a costly error when her attempt to clear a corner fell to defender Jade Rose, who slotted home the opening goal for City. Mary Fowler doubled the lead with a clinical finish from the edge of the box.
Villa, however, showed fight before the break, with debutant Amalie Vangsgaard reducing the deficit just before halftime. In the second half, Villa pressed for an equaliser, striking the post early on, but Khadija Bunny Shaw restored City’s lead with a deft finish after regaining possession high up the pitch. Lauren Hemp, named player of the match, notched her 100th goal involvement by assisting Shaw’s strike and later adding a fourth goal in stoppage time when her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken and flew into the far corner.
City’s victory extended their perfect start, putting them two points clear at the top of the table. Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace held Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates, thanks largely to an outstanding performance from French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin. Arsenal bombarded the Palace goal with 30 attempts, nine of which were on target, yet they could not breach the Palace net. The most threatening chance fell to England striker Alessia Russo nine minutes before the interval; despite a superb left‑wing cross, her shot sailed over the empty net, leaving Arsenal frustrated.
The match underscored Palace’s defensive resilience and Peyraud‑Magnin’s shot‑stopping prowess, earning her plaudits for keeping the visitors at bay. Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against newly promoted Birmingham, salvaging a 2-2 draw thanks to a last‑minute goal from Kiko Seike.
Birmingham had taken a 2-0 lead by the 60th minute through goals from Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite, appearing poised to claim their first three points. Brighton applied relentless pressure, and although goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley made several crucial saves to keep her side in the game, defensive lapses in the final fifteen minutes proved costly. Olivia Garcia capitalised on a rebound to pull Brighton level, and Seike’s opportunistic strike from a tight angle slipped under Baggaley, completing the comeback.
The result highlighted Brighton’s fighting spirit and the fine margins that can decide matches in the WSL. In a gritty encounter at Goodison Park, Charlton Athletic were reduced to nine players and suffered a 1-0 defeat to Everton.
After a heavy 4-0 loss to Liverpool on opening day, Charlton showed improvement against their Merseyside rivals but ultimately fell victim to late pressure. Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe, conceding the winner with less than fifteen minutes remaining. The goal came after Charlton had already been reduced to ten players when Ashleigh Neville received a straight red card for a high challenge on Ruby Mace. Further disciplinary issues saw Hawa Cissoko pick up two yellows in stoppage time, leaving the Addicks with just nine men at the final whistle.
The defeat left Charlton perched second from bottom, narrowly ahead of Manchester United on goal difference. At the Totally Wicked Stadium, Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances.
Tottenham took 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 half‑time. Liverpool responded in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading in a near‑post finish to level the scores shortly before the hour mark.
Although Liverpool pressed for a winner, they were unable to break down Tottenham’s defence and settled for a point. The match illustrated the unpredictable nature of the league, where dominance does not always translate into victory. Overall, the second round of WSL fixtures delivered a mixture of dominant performances, hard‑earned draws, and dramatic comebacks, underscoring the competitive balance and excitement that defines women’s football in England this season.