Women's Super League: Erin Cuthbert strikes late as Chelsea claim win over Manchester City, West Ham beat Tottenham
Updated 23/03/2025 at 18:53 GMT
Erin Cuthbert was the hero as her stoppage-time header secured a 2-1 win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium to give The Blues a vice-like grip on the Women's Super League title race. West Ham United kicked off the day's action with an impressive victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, thanks to an own goal and Viviane Asseyi's last-minute free-kick.
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Reigning Women’s Super League champions Chelsea re-established their stranglehold on the title race after recovering from a goal down to claim a 2-1 win at Manchester City.
Erin Cuthbert's stoppage-time winner sealed all three points for Sonia Bompastor's side to move them eight points clear of Arsenal, leaving City seven adrift of the top three.
City inflicted a first defeat of the season on Chelsea in the UEFA Women's Champions League earlier in the week, but faced a gulf between the two sides in the WSL standings.
Chances were few and far between for the league leaders in a relatively cagey opening period. Oriane Jean-Francois attempted to change things with an ambitious effort from the edge of the box but sent it over the bar.
Chelsea were indebted to Lucy Bronze for some excellent defending just before the half-hour mark. The England defender made a fine intervention, heading Kerolin's cross away from danger with Vivianne Miedema waiting in the middle.
But it was a momentary reprieve for the visitors, who fell behind after 32 minutes when the effervescent Kerolin burst free down the right, weaving her way into the box before pausing and coolly slotting her finish into the bottom-left corner.
City, with their tails up, looked to immediately double their advantage as Kerstin Casparij had a shot saved by Hannah Hampton.
The hosts were aggrieved not to have gone 2-0 up shortly before the break, when Kerolin was fouled on the edge of the box, seconds before Jess Park sent a shot into the far corner. The whistle had already blown and City's players questioned why the referee had not played an advantage.
After that moment of controversy, Yui Hasegawa's free-kick grazed the bar on its way over, and Laura Coombs sent an effort off target having been picked out in the box.
At half-time, the hosts were deservedly in front, but it might have been by more and there was visible anger towards the officials.
The Blues restored parity five minutes into the second half at the end of a wonderfully worked move, as Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd teed up Aggie Beever-Jones to apply a clinical finish past Khiara Keating.
Chelsea were looking the more likely to net the winner with a much-improved second-half display, with Rytting-Kaneryd involved in the thick of the action again, turning a close-range shot wide from a Lauren James corner.
James looked to take matters into her own hands moments later, unleashing a fine effort towards goal which was parried to safety by Keating.
But just when City looked set to earn a hard-earned point, up stepped Cuthbert to nod the ball home with a superb diving header from an excellent cross by Ashley Lawrence.
The two sides will battle it out again on Thursday for their fourth and final meeting in the space of 13 days in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Hammers leapfrog Spurs in London derby victory
West Ham United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 at Victoria Road to climb above their London rivals and go eighth in the Women's Super League table.
An own goal from Josefine Rybrink and a late Viviane Asseyi free-kick proved the difference between the teams.
The breakthrough came in the 16th minute after Verena Hanshaw drove into the box and drilled the ball across the face of goal, generating enough power to see the deflection off Rybrink deceive goalkeeper Lize Kop.
While Tottenham huffed and puffed, The Hammers nearly made it 2-0 just after the half-hour mark when a scramble in the box fell to Shekiera Martinez, who could only turn and fire a shot wide from close range.
And an even better chance was squandered moments later as Oona Siren met a flicked-on corner and looked certain to score, only to guide her header straight at Kop from a few yards out.
Spurs searched for an equaliser before the break, with Drew Spence sending a shot wide before Eveliina Summanen struck the bar with a sumptuous free-kick.
The second half began with more Tottenham territory, but their struggles to break teams down and their vulnerability at the back appeared to be a continuing theme.
West Ham threatened from a corner again and Riko Ueki saw a header fly over the bar.
By the hour mark, the hosts had established control of the contest, keeping Spurs at arm's length. And they nearly doubled their lead, again causing problems from a corner, with Katrina Gorry firing off a shot from the edge of the box and bringing an excellent save from Kop.
Tottenham were still a threat, though, and came close to a leveller when Ella Morris surged down the right, cutting the ball back for Martha Thomas, whose misfortune in front of goal continued with an effort that struck the post.
Soon after, Spence saw appeals for a penalty waved away after she went down in the box. And the frustration was growing for Spurs as the clock ticked down, particularly after Thomas had another half-chance, this time heading straight at Kinga Szemik.
As Spurs committed more players forward, they were picked off by West Ham, who sealed victory in the 90th minute through Asseyi, whose wide free-kick evaded everyone and found the bottom corner.
Leicester overcome Brighton to ease relegation fears
Leicester City boosted their survival prospects with a 3-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion to move six points clear of table-propping Crystal Palace.
The Foxes surged into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to strikes from Shannon O'Brien, Saori Takarada, and Rachel McLauchlan's own goal.
O'Brien broke the deadlock in the 11th with a fine driven effort into the bottom corner, before Takarada expertly converted from Hannah Cain's delivery.
There was still time for the hosts to inflict further damage before the break, as the ball bounced off McLaughlan after Shana Chossenotte latched onto Cain's cross.
Madison Haley gave Brighton hope of a comeback in the 73rd minute when her strike from distance squirmed through Janina Leitzig's grasp.
The Seagulls then made it a nervy final 10 minutes for the hosts as Melina Loeck brought down Nikita Parris in the box.
Fran Kirby dispatched the penalty, but there would be no comeback for the visitors as Leicester held on for all three points.
Man United cruise past Villa to strengthen top-three place
Third-place Manchester United moved seven points clear of City with a convincing 4-0 win over Aston Villa.
Elisabeth Terland's brace, alongside a goal each for Grace Clinton and Leah Galton, ensured Marc Skinner's side bounced back from a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool last time out.
The Red Devils are now in a commanding position to secure a top-three finish and qualification for next season's Women's Champions League.
Meanwhile, Villa remain firmly in a battle for survival and sit 10th - a point above bottom club Crystal Palace.
Terland got United off the mark in the 22nd minute with a clinical header from Jayde Riviere's cross after Villa failed to clear their lines - and doubled her tally just past the half-hour mark.
Clinton made it three shortly before half-time when she outmuscled Jill Baijings, spotted Sabrina D'Angelo well outside her goal and lobbed the Villa 'keeper with a superb long-range finish.
Galton rounded off the scoring four minutes past the hour mark at the end of a lovely free-flowing move, as the midfielder slid home from Melvine Malard's cross via a deflected finish at the near post.
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