Ryan Asman

Chelsea returned to the top of the Women’s Super League with a 3-0 win over Everton at

Kingsmeadow on Sunday evening.

Manchester City had overtaken them after their 2-0 win against Leicester earlier on Sunday but two

Guro Reiten spot kicks and an Erin Cuthbert goal saw Chelsea go back three points clear at the

summit.

Mayra Ramirez, who was making her first start for the home side after recently joining, had their

first opportunity in the 6 th minute but got crowded out by Everton defenders before she could get a

shot away. Cuthbert then saw an effort from the edge of the area go over following the resulting

corner.

Jess Carter made a good tackle to clear after the Toffees Heather Payne had played in Rikke Madsen

in the 7 th minute.

At the other end, Niamh Charles saw an effort blocked three minutes later. The hosts came close to

taking the lead in the 21 st minute when a cross across goal found Reiten whose shot was saved by

Courtney Brosnan before the ball was cleared off the line. Two minutes later they came even closer

to going ahead but Reiten’s inswinging corner was tipped onto the crossbar by Brosnan before being

cleared.

In the 26 th minute, Chelsea were awarded a penalty when referee Emily Heaslip deemed Clare

Wheeler had fouled Johanna Rytting Kaneryd as the Toffees midfielder was clearing the ball. Reiten

sent the penalty low into the corner of the net to give the hosts the lead.

The visitors best chance of the match came in the 31 st minute but Aurora Galli put her effort high

and wide at the far post.

The home side had the final chance of the half when James’ cross found Reiten but she glanced her

header wide.

Melanie Leupolz had the hosts first chance of the second half in the 53 rd minute but her effort from

the edge of the area went over the crossbar and out of the ground. Lauren James took the ball past

the Everton goalkeeper but her cross was put behind for a corner.

Chelsea had two good chances to increase their lead within a minute of each other as the match

reached the hour mark. First, after Ramirez had run down the right side, her cross was put over by

Rytting Kaneryd from close range. Then James was played in but dragged her shot wide.

The home side were awarded their second penalty of the evening in the 71 st minute when Heaslip

adjudged that Ramirez had been fouled in the area by Wheeler after the Colombian had made

another run down the right side. Reiten stepped up again to send the ball low past Brosnan and

make it 2-0.

Everton manager Brian Sorensen was shown two yellow cards in quick succession for comments

made to the referee as his side were making some substitutions and was sent from the dugout with

about ten minutes remaining.

One of the home sides substitutes, Mia Fishel, saw an effort cleared off the line in the 82 nd minute.

Chelsea made it 3-0 a minute later when after some nice one-touch build up play, Cuthbert finished

into the bottom corner from inside the area.

Aggie Beever-Jones and Fishel had chances to extend the hosts lead further but there were no more

goals before the final whistle was blown.

When speaking to the media afterwards, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes felt they were a “little

impatient in the first half” and they “were eager to create chances and wanted to win early”. She

continued that “they didn’t do well enough” against Everton’s defence in the first half. Hayes

remarked in the second half they were “much better with patience and switches etc” and “players

who came off the bench made an impact”.

Everton assistant manager Stephen Neligan spoke to the press after the match and felt the Toffees

were “for large parts of the first half very competitive and for the first 15/20 minutes of the second

half we held our own”. He added there were lots of things they were happy about and the performance they put it. He felt there was minimal contact for Chelsea’s second penalty.

Chelsea’s next WSL match is on Friday 16 th February when they welcome their closest challengers in

the league, Manchester City, to Kingsmeadow. Everton, who dropped a place to 10 th , are at home to

West Ham United on the 18 th February, who are now a place above them on the same number of

points. Before that both sides are in cup action with the Chelsea taking on Sunderland in the Conti

Cup then Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, both at home, whilst Everton visit Nottingham Forest in the FA

Cup on Sunday.

Line ups

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hampton, Lawrence, Carter, Bjorn, Charles, Cuthbert (Cankovic 89’), Leupolz, Rytting Kaneryd (Kirby 68’), James (Nusken 78’), Reiten (Beever-Jones 79’), Ramirez (Fishel 79’)

Unused Substitutes: Musovic, Ingle, Perisset, Buchanan

Goals – Reiten 27’ (pen), 72’ (pen), Cuthbert 83’

Booked – James

Everton (3-4-3): Brosnan, Vanhaevermaet, Finnigan, Stenevik, Bennison, Wheeler (Olesen 78’), Kuhl, Galli, Payne (Hope 79’), Piemonte, Madsen (Bissell 58’)

Unused substitutes: Hart, Dale, Snoeijs, Wilding

Booked – Wheeler, Brosnan

Referee – Emily Heaslip