Chelsea continued their dominant run in the Women's Super League by comfortably defeating West Ham United at Victoria Road, a win that propelled them to the summit of the table even though they have played one match fewer than the league leaders, Manchester City, who host Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. The Blues did not cruise to an easy win; the breakthrough only arrived eight minutes before the break when summer acquisition Melvine Malard, who arrived from Manchester United, slipped a composed shot into the bottom corner to give Chelsea the lead.
The first half remained tightly contested, with West Ham pressing hard and testing Sonia Bompastor's side. After the interval the Hammers continued to create chances, but it was Chelsea’s English midfield dynamo Keira Walsh who restored the advantage with a powerful strike from the edge of the box with ten minutes remaining.
That goal marked Walsh’s third of the season and effectively put the match out of reach. In the dying moments, Japanese forward Maika Hamano added a second for the visitors, heading home from a far‑post cross with three minutes left, ensuring Chelsea maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign. Meanwhile, in a separate fixture, Manchester City demonstrated why they are the team to beat, thumping Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 at the Lionesses' home ground. The Spurs had entered the match unbeaten in the top division, but City’s attacking firepower was simply too much.
Spanish star Alexia Putellas opened the scoring within three minutes, capitalising on a rebound after goalkeeper Grave Geyoro’s long‑range effort was deflected into her path. Putellas added a second shortly after, confirming her status as one of the league’s most lethal forwards. City’s third goal came from a well‑executed team move: Lucia Corrales delivered a low cross that Kadidiatou Diani met, slotting the ball into an empty net for her first WSL goal.
A corner later saw Putellas finish from a set‑piece after Danielle van de Donk’s delivery, although van de Donk missed an easy chance that could have made it 4-0. Tottenham’s only reply arrived when Victoria Pelova headed home from a Julie Blakstad free‑kick, but the Lionesses responded quickly. A clearance by Tottenham keeper Lize Kop fell to Diani, who tapped in her second, and with barely any time left Delphine Cascarino added the sixth, sealing a comprehensive victory.
In the north‑west, Everton’s England forward Ruby Mace answered her omission from Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses squad with a brace in a 2-1 win over Birmingham City. After a controversial snub, Mace opened the scoring by finishing a rebound inside the box when Yuka Momiki’s effort struck the post.
Everton had dominated early exchanges, forcing Birmingham goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley into several saves, but the Blues fought back when Oceane Hurtre headed in her fifth goal of the season to level the score. Everton’s half‑time was disrupted by a serious injury to Zara Kramźrzą, yet they held on and Mace secured the win with a long‑range strike that took two deflections before finding the far corner. Birmingham remain winless since their promotion, sitting near the bottom of the table, while Everton climb back into fifth place, overtaking Merseyside rivals Liverpool after last week’s derby loss. Crystal Palace earned a valuable point in a tightly fought match against Aston Villa thanks to a long‑range effort from young midfielder Abbie Larkin.
Villa had taken the lead early in the second half through Noelle Maritz, but Larkin surged forward from midfield and unleashed a low shot that bounced past goalkeeper Akane Okuma, equalising for Palace. Both sides created further chances: Villa substitute Georgia Mullet missed a close‑range side‑foot, and Palace’s Shannon O'Brien squandered a golden opportunity in stoppage time, leaving the game level at 1-1. Brighton & Hove Albion delivered a crushing defeat to newcomers Charlton Athletic, with Kiko Seike scoring a brace to underline her growing reputation. Charlton’s Cassandra Korhonen gave the visitors an early lead in the third minute, tapping in after her initial shot was saved.
Brighton responded quickly when Seike finished a close‑range effort after Olivia Garcia’s work, and later set up Fran Kirby, who added a second before the break. After the interval Seike struck again, and Brighton piled on the pressure, adding two late goals in stoppage time – a cross from Maisie Symonds that found the net and a header by Gabrille George – to complete a 5-1 rout. Overall, the round of fixtures highlighted the widening gap between the league’s title contenders and the rest of the pack. Chelsea’s steady accumulation of points keeps them in contention, Manchester City’s goal‑fest reinforces their championship credentials, and the performances of stars such as Malard, Walsh, Putellas, and Seike illustrate why the Women’s Super League continues to grow in quality and excitement.