Soccer

Leaders Chelsea back to winning ways in WSL with 5-0 romp at West Ham

Sonia Bompastor’s Blues had been held to a surprise 1-1 draw at Leicester in their last league match before the winter break.

Erin Cuthbert (left) celebrates with Aggie Beever-Jones after scoring Chelsea’s second goal
Erin Cuthbert (left) celebrates with Aggie Beever-Jones after scoring Chelsea’s second goal (Nigel French/PA)
By PA Sport Staff

Chelsea returned to winning ways in the Women’s Super League with a resounding 5-0 thrashing of West Ham.

Sonia Bompastor had boasted a perfect record in the division after nine fixtures until the Blues dropped points in a surprise 1-1 draw at Leicester on December 14.

A winter break followed but the visitors scored three times in the first half at Chigwell Construction Stadium, in their first league match for more than a month, to keep hold of their healthy lead at the summit.

Catarina Macario, Erin Cuthbert and Aggie Beever-Jones struck before half-time for Chelsea and Sandy Baltimore added a fourth after the break, with the scoring wrapped up when Amber Tysiak put through her own net late on.

Arsenal celebrated Renee Slegers’ permanent appointment as head coach by also recording a comprehensive 5-0 victory, at home to Crystal Palace.

Captain Leah Williamson grabbed her first Gunners goal since March 2023 with a sixth-minute opener, but it failed to open the floodgates.

That was the case after Alessia Russo doubled the hosts’ advantage at Meadow Park after 63 minutes, with Beth Mead on target before Mariona Caldentey registered a late brace to secure an emphatic victory.

A fourth-minute own goal by Janina Leitzig earned Tottenham a hard-fought 1-0 win over Leicester to move them up to sixth in the table.