Sky Sports provided a comprehensive recap of Sunday’s Women's Super League fixtures, highlighting Chelsea's emphatic 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village – a win that finally broke the Blues' winless start to the campaign. While both sides had failed to secure three points during the opening weekend, it was Chelsea who imposed their will from the first whistle, delivering a stark lesson to United’s new manager Eva Olid in her inaugural home match.
The first half saw Chelsea cruising comfortably after two well‑crafted goals. Sjoeke Nusken opened the scoring with a composed finish, and shortly thereafter Keira Walsh added a second, striking the ball from the edge of the box with a beautifully timed drive that left the United goalkeeper with no chance. By the interval, the visitors were already five goals clear, a testament to their dominance in both midfield and attack.
The second half continued in the same vein. Lauren James, who earned the player‑of‑the‑match accolade, extended the lead in the 61st minute with a clinical finish. Ellie Carpenter followed just four minutes later, and the final nail in the coffin came from Lucy Bronze, who slotted home the last kick of the game. United’s hopes of a first league win were further delayed, and they now face a daunting away clash 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 their resilience crumbled within the first quarter‑hour of the second match. Akane Okuma’s mis‑judged corner allowed defender Jade Rose to head in the opening goal for City. Mary Fowler then doubled the lead with a powerful strike from the edge of the area.
Villa fought back before halftime, with debutant Amalie Vangsgaard reducing the deficit. However, City’s relentless pressure paid off when Khadija "Bunny" Shaw executed a deft dinked finish after winning the ball high up the pitch. Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement by assisting Shaw, capped the scoring in stoppage time.
Her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken and curled into the far corner, completing a clinical display for Andree Jeglertz’s side. The victory left the defending champions two points clear at the summit, the only team to maintain a perfect start.
Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace held Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates, thanks largely to an inspired performance from France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin. Arsenal bombarded Palace with 30 attempts, nine of which were on target, yet the French shot‑stopper, who joined the Gunners on loan last summer, kept a clean sheet. The most promising chance fell to England forward Alessia Russo, who missed a golden opportunity just before halftime, firing wide after a superb left‑wing cross.
Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against fellow newcomers Birmingham, salvaging a 2-2 draw with a last‑minute goal from Kiko Seike. Birmingham had taken a 2-0 lead by the 60th minute through Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite, appearing poised to claim their first three points. Brighton pressed relentlessly, and while former goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley made several crucial saves, defensive lapses in the final minutes proved costly.
Olivia Garcia recovered a rebound to pull Brighton level, and Seike’s tightly angled finish slipped under the goalkeeper, completing the equaliser. Charlton Athletic endured a bruising defeat at Goodison Park, reduced to nine players in a 1-0 loss to Everton.
After a heavy 4-0 loss to Liverpool on matchday one, Charlton showed improvement against Everton but ultimately succumbed to late pressure. Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe after Charlton had already been reduced to ten men when Ashleigh Neville received a straight red for a high challenge on Ruby Mace. Hawa Cissoko compounded the misery by picking up two yellows in quick succession during stoppage time, leaving the Addicks with just nine players on the field as the final whistle blew.
The result leaves newly promoted Charlton second from bottom, only 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 just before halftime when Signe Gaupset’s cross from the left byline deflected off Sam Kerr and looped over goalkeeper Khiara Keating. Liverpool responded in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading home a near‑post finish to restore parity shortly before the hour mark. Although Liverpool pressed 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, surprising comebacks, and hard‑earned draws, setting the stage for an increasingly competitive season as teams look to build momentum and challenge for the title.