Women's Super League: Chelsea thrash 10-player Crystal Palace to close in on sixth straight title
Published 23/04/2025 at 21:38 GMT+1
The Women's Super League title looks to be headed to Kingsmeadow again after Chelsea eased past Crystal Palace and moved six points clear of Arsenal at the summit. Guro Reiten, Catarina Macario and Mia Fishel were on the scoresheet as bottom of the league Palace had Allyson Swaby sent off early in the second half. The Eagles remain seven points adrift of 11th-placed Aston Villa.
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Chelsea thrashed Crystal Palace 4-0 to move closer to a sixth successive Women's Super League title.
Two goals from Catarina Macario and one apiece from Guro Reiten and Mia Fishel helped Sonia Bompastor's side move six points clear of second-placed Arsenal with three games left to play.
Palace are bottom of the table, seven points adrift of 11th-placed Aston Villa.
Chelsea were on the attack from the off, dominating possession and looking for an early opener against their struggling opposition.
It was a case of resisting for as long as possible for the visitors, who had won just one of their nine away games and conceded 25 goals prior to their trip to Kingsmeadow.
But the inevitable breakthrough came after 22 minutes when Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Reiten's cross was handled in the box by Molly-Mae Sharpe.
Having won the penalty, Reiten stepped up and slotted home, though goalkeeper Shae Yanez got a hand to the ball and almost kept it out.
Palace had kept the hosts at bay in the early stages but with their resistance broken they threatened to crumble. It was 2-0 moments later, Macario drilling a low shot into the bottom corner having been picked out in the box by Sandy Baltimore.
Baltimore hit the woodwork with a curling cross just after the half-hour mark, before Naomi Girma had a shot deflected just wide.
Bompastor, despite her side's comfortable lead, had cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines, but any nerves were alleviated early in the second half when Palace defender Allyson Swaby was sent off for bringing down Sjoeke Nusken as she raced clear on goal.
Chelsea's third goal followed moments after as Macario stepped up to take the free-kick and sent a deflected effort past Yanez.
It was a matter of damage limitation for Palace having been reduced to 10 players, and a fourth goal came just after an hour when Fishel converted from close range.
Despite plenty of Chelsea territory and several opportunities, Palace managed to keep it at just four goals, though they failed to register a shot at the other end.
It was job done on a routine evening for Chelsea, who will be crowned champions if they take four points from their final three league matches.
Chelsea travel to Manchester United next on Wednesday, April 30, while Arsenal face Aston Villa on the same night.
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