CHELSEA RETAIN THE FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE

Chelsea were declared league winners last season when the season was curtailed because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Chelsea Women retained their FA Women’s Super League title on Sunday as they brushed off pressure from second-place Manchester City by soundly beating Reading 5-0.

Chelsea and City were first and second, respectively – two points apart going into the final matchday of the season with the possibility of a climactic end. Any nerves, however, were calmed immediately when Melanie Leupolz opened the scoring for Chelsea inside two minutes. The Blues would then go on to score four more (Fran Kirby 43’ 57’, Sam Kerr 71’, Erin Cuthbert 75’) powered by a Sam Kerr-Fran Kirby masterclass. Man City, to their credit, won their match against West Ham United 1-0 (Ellen White 75’) despite missing two penalties, but the title was sealed very early in the day as Chelsea never looked doubtful about their own result.

This title win establishes Chelsea as the most successful team in the WSL era (four league titles) as they aim to secure a historic quintuple this season. Apart from WSL, Chelsea have already secured the Community Shield and the League Cup, have qualified for the FA Cup fifth round, and are in the final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Their serial success is testament to their manager Emma Hayes’ credentials as one of the best managers in football, both men’s and women’s.

Chelsea will face FC Barcelona Femení in the Champions League final this Sunday in an epic showdown that will see a team other than Olympique Lyonnais Féminin crowned European Champions for the first time since 2015.