Page 4 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.28 2021-22

The Barclays FA WSL

Chelsea have gone top of the Barclays FA WSL for the first time this
season following a nine-goal blast against Leicester City at the King
Power Stadium.
Arsenal’s scheduled match with Tottenham Hotspur had fallen
victim to Covid cases and had to be postponed, giving Chelsea the chance
to replace them as leaders with a victory. This proved to be a huge
incentive as Guro Reiten, Sam Kerr and Beth England put them three
ahead inside the opening ten minutes and Aniek Nouwen added a fourth
immediately afterwards. England netted a second and Reiten also
completed a double in first half injury time. After the break, Kerr scored her second and
Chelsea went on to record a 9-0 victory as Lauren James and Jessie Fleming contributed
further goals late on.
Manchester Utd also stepped up their challenge for a Champions League place by
coming from behind to beat Everton 3-1, to open up a gap of three points between
themselves and Manchester City whose game against Birmingham City was also
postponed. In front of a crowd in excess of 20,000 at Old Trafford, Everton got off to a great
start and took a fourth minute lead through Claire Emslie but United got themselves back on
level terms ahead of the break, thanks to Alessia Russo. Katie Zelem then put them ahead from
the penalty spot, nine minutes into the second half and Russo sealed the points when she
scored her second goal via a header from a corner.
Brighton & Hove Albion leapfrogged opponents West Ham Utd in the table and
are back in the top six after winning their meeting 2-0. Aileen Whelan finished off a good
move to give the Seagulls a third minute lead and after coming under pressure from the
Hammers as they sought an equaliser, Brighton
hit on the break for a second goal with nine Arsenal P-P Tottenham Hotspur
minutes remaining, Inessa Kaagman pouncing on -
a loose ball to slot home. Aston Villa 1 (Petzelberger 76)
The honours were shared in the other game Reading FC Women 1 (Vanhaevermaet pen 69)
-
as Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion Manchester City P-P Birmingham City
battled out a 1-1 draw. Villa had the better of -
matters in the first half which ended goalless but Manchester Utd 3 (Russo 35,84, Zelem pen 54)
with just over twenty minutes remaining, Justine Everton 1 (Emslie 4)
-
Vanhaevermaet slotted home from the penalty
Leicester City 0
spot to put Reading ahead following a foul in the Chelsea 9 (Reiten 3,45, Kerr 5,47, England 7,28,
area on Amalie Eikeland. Villa hit back seven Nouwen 11, James 88, Fleming 90)
minutes later with Ramona Petzelberger heading - West Ham Utd 0
in from a Laura Blindkilde cross to give her side a Brighton & Hove Albion 2 (Whelan 3, Kaagman 81)
point.
BARCLAYS FA WSL P W D L F A Pts GD
CHELSEA 17 13 2 2 47 7 41 40
ARSENAL 17 12 4 1 45 10 40 35 LEADING SCORERS
MANCHESTER UTD 18 10 5 3 39 18 35 Samantha KERR Chelsea 14
21
MANCHESTER CITY 17 10 2 5 37 20 32 Vivianne MIEDEMA Arsenal 10
17
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 16 8 4 4 19 12 28 Alessia RUSSO Manchester Utd 9
7
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 18 8 1 9 20 26 25 Beth MEAD Arsenal 7
-6
WEST HAM UTD 18 6 6 6 21 25 24 -4
Natasha DOWIE Reading FC Women 6
READING FC WOMEN 18 7 3 8 20 29 24 -9
Leah GALTON
EVERTON 18 5 2 11 15 35 17 -20 Manchester Utd 6
ASTON VILLA 18 5 2 11 12 32 17 -20
LEICESTER CITY 18 4 0 14 14 43 12 -29
BIRMINGHAM CITY 17 1 1 15 11 43 4 -32
Issue no. 28 - 31 March 2022 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk