WSL: Lauren Hemp scores as Manchester City make title statement with Chelsea win, Aston Villa thrash Leicester
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Updated 26/03/2023 at 16:07 GMT
Manchester City moved level on points with Manchester United at the top of the WSL table following a 2-0 win over defending champions Chelsea in which they displayed all their title credentials. Filippa Angeldahl opened the scoring with a screamer in the first-half before an equally impressive strike from Lauren Hemp doubled their advantage. Elsewhere, Aston Villa hammered Leicester 5-0.
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Manchester City dealt Chelsea a blow in defence of their Women’s Super League crown while making a title statement of their own.
Goals from Filippa Angeldahl and Lauren Hemp gave City a thoroughly deserved 2-0 win, moving them up to second place in the table, level on points with leaders and rivals Manchester United.
The result also pushes the Blues - who have a game in hand on the Manchester clubs - down to third with their first league defeat since the opening day of the season.
Big wins for Arsenal and United 24 hours earlier mean only three points separate the top four teams heading into the final quarter of the campaign.
Coming off the back of an impressive win over Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, Emma Hayes’ side would have been confident travelling to The Academy Stadium in Manchester.
However, City - unbeaten since September in the league and very much in the title mix this season - started brighter and took the lead through Angeldahl’s fantastic strike midway through the first-half.
Picking up the ball on the right corner of the penalty area, the Swedish midfielder - who had never scored for the Citizens - unleashed a rocket of a shot into the top corner that Ann-Katrin Berger could only watch fly beyond her.
The home side doubled their advantage on the half hour when Chelsea failed to clear their lines, and the ball fell to Hemp who hit a fantastic first-time left-footed strike across Berger and into the net.
Despite Hayes making a raft of changes, Chelsea couldn’t muster any meaningful response in the second-half and City saw out the win in their quest for a first WSL title since 2016.
Afterwards Hayes said: "I was proud of the second-half performance. It’s a tough loss.
"I have told the players to focus on Thursday [the Champions League last-eight second leg against Lyon]. Well done to Manchester City.
"I am not going to sit here and say a negative word about our players. They pushed in the second-half. I think it was one game too far for us this week.”
Leicester City’s season shows no signs of improving, as they were thrashed 5-0 by Aston Villa and remain rooted to the foot of the table.
Kenza Dali gave Villa the lead on six minutes, and Alisha Lehmann and Rachel Daly added two goals apiece to seal the win that reinforced the home side’s spot in fifth place in the table.
Reading and Brighton are in the relegation mix, and they played out a 2-2 draw at the Madejski Stadium.
Brighton looked on course for the win thanks to two early goals from Veatriki Sarri, but Emma Harries netted twice in the second-half to secure a point for Reading.
Reading are in 10th place, with 11 points to their name, one spot and two points above Brighton, who have two games in hand.
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