A sell-out crowd at Arsenal’s Meadow Park stadium was witness to the rapidly turning tide of the FA WSL as Chelsea stormed to a 3-0 halftime lead before securing a 4-1 victory to remain undefeated after 12 matches.
Arsenal’s the most successful club in the division’s eight-year history with three titles — including last year’s triumph when Chelsea finished third — but the Blues issued a statement of intent by signing Norway’s Guro Reiten in May before adding Australia’s Sam Kerr back in November, and both of the club’s marquee signings got on the scoreboard today.
The goals began in the 10th minute for Chelsea after Reiten released Bethany England out wide. England still had a lot of work to do, but her curled finish from the edge of the area was sensational.
That pass
That finish— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 19, 2020
Three minutes later, Chelsea sucked the air out of Meadow Park as Reiten’s arching cross found Kerr at the back post for her first WSL goal. Kerr’s the all-time leading scorer in both the NWSL and the Australian W-League, and the 26-year-old is now 48 behind Nikita Parris for the WSL record.
#BarclaysFAWSL account: OPENED @samkerr1 is up and running for @ChelseaFCW #ARSCHE pic.twitter.com/1eT1Wg9h9c
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 19, 2020
Sophie Ingle made it 3-0 in the 20th minute with an incredible half-volley from 20 yards out.
@sophieingle01 doesn't score tap ins
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 19, 2020
After registering two assists in the first half, Reiten got on the scoresheet in the 68th after heading home from Jonna Andersson’s cross.
@ChelseaFCW @guro_reiten adds a fourth, after nodding in @Jandersson25's superb cross #ARSCHE #BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/QO66PONjYj
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) January 19, 2020
Beth Mead would pull one back for Arsenal in the 74th minute, but that’d be all the scoring on the day. Manchester City and Arsenal remain tied at the top of the table on 33 points, but Chelsea — on 32 points — has a game in hand on both.
City hosts Arsenal on Sunday, Feb. 2 at Academy Stadium in Manchester while Chelsea hosts West Ham at Kingsmeadow.
