After Arsenal missed the chance to reach the summit following their stalemate with Aston Villa on Friday, Sonia Bompastor’s side took full advantage in stunning fashion.
It took just eight minutes for the Blues to open the scoring through Aggie Beever-Jones, who sent a sensational free-kick into the top-left corner from 25 yards out.
Chelsea increased their advantage just four minutes later when Johanna Rytting Kaneryd tucked home from close range after Wieke Kaptein’s deflected cross fell into her path.
The result was put beyond doubt in the 15th minute after Erin Cuthbert was allowed time and space to send a brilliant finish beyond the grasp of Kinga Szemik from distance.
West Ham’s misery was further compounded when Ines Belloumou was shown a straight red card after pulling the hair of Alyssa Thompson in the 23rd minute.
It took until the 70th minute for Chelsea to make their numerical advantage count, as Kaptein tucked home from inside the six-yard box after good work from Catarina Macario.
Chelsea have now won their first four WSL games of a campaign for a fifth time, winning the title in three of the previous four years they have managed to do so.
But hot on Chelsea’s heels are Manchester United, who are two points adrift of the Gunners after downing Liverpool 2-0 at St Helens Stadium earlier in the day.
The damage was done at either end of the first half as Hinata Miyazawa cracked a left-footed rocket in off the post with just four minutes on the clock.
Ella Toone then made sure of the points in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, coolly slotting home after Elisabeth Terland robbed Gemma Evans of possession.
However, Manchester City continue to gather pace under Andree Jeglertz, picking up their fourth successive league win with a 4-1 rout over the London City Lionesses.
Two goals in three first-half minutes from Vivianne Miedema and Laura Blindkilde Brown had City in control by the 14th minute, but the Lionesses hit back through Nikita Parris.
But Khadija Shaw ensured the triumph after the break, dispatching two penalties to take her tally to three goals in four WSL matches in 2024-25.
Tottenham also continued their fine start to the campaign, beating Leicester City 2-1 thanks to goals from Cathinka Tandberg and Olivia Holdt in the opening 45 minutes.
At Broadfield Stadium, England’s hero from their Euro 2025 success, Michelle Agyemang, scored her first WSL goal of the season in Brighton’s 1-0 victory over Everton.
Data Debrief: Beever-Jones’ scoring streak continues
Following her sensational free-kick, Beever-Jones has become the first Chelsea player to score in five consecutive WSL appearances since the English striker did so herself back in November 2023.
Indeed, the England international also became the first player ever to score in each of the Blues’ opening four games of a top-flight campaign, with West Ham proving no match for Bompastor’s defending champions.
The Hammers have now lost six WSL games for the first time in their history. West Ham boss Rehanne Skinner has only once before had a longer streak in the competition, losing her first nine games in charge of Tottenham and first at the helm for her current club between 2022 and 2023.
Source; Lovinghananews.com
