Chelsea overcome rough Leicester to stay unbeaten and extend WSL lead to eight point s
By Paul Lagan at Kingsmeadow Stadium
Chelsea 3 v Leicester City 1
Three goals secured yet another three points and the Blues extended their lead at the top of the WSL to eight points.
Granted Manchester United have a game in hand, but this win for the Blues against a more than rugged Leicester City will have given the west Londoners a much-needed confidence boost after Sunday's 1-1 draw at Brighton.
Catarina Macario and strikes from Aggie Beever-Jones and a screamer from substitute Erin Cuthbert in the second half, saw off their Midland opponents.
The early goal for the Blues continues to elude them.
At the beginning of the season, the opposition was usually demoralised by a goal within five minutes.
So it was refreshing for the Chelsea fans to celebrate – albeit two minutes later than usual.
A needless foul by Ruby Mace on seven minutes, which earned her a yellow card, allowed Catarina Macario to take the free-kick. It took a major defection, and the ball looped high and dipped late, giving Janina Leitzig no chance as the ball sailed over her grasping hands.Leicester were not demoralised however and to their credit, forced Hannah Hampton in to a save – Janice Cayman's long-range effort, on 11 minutes, while on target, was not powerful enough to trouble the England stopper.
Leicester's Mace hit the ground after a challenge on Aggie Beever-Jones on 35 minutes, a stretcher carried her off the pitch. Saori Takarada replaced her.
There were no changes from either side at half-time.
If it took seven minutes to score in the first half, they were back on form in the second – five minutes in and Beever-Jones latched onto a neat reverse pass from Ramirez and slotted home confidently.
The visitors returned the favour on 55 minutes when Yuka Momiki got free and tucked a deft chip over am[ton from an angle to make it 2-1.
Macario was then replaced by Wieke Kaptein, while Nathalie Bjorn left the field for Ashley Lawrence – both on 56 minutes.
Ramirez and Hamano went close, but not close enough to restore the two-goal advantage, while Leicester remained a danger on the quick counter-attack.
Oriane Jean-Francois was replaced by Erin Cuthbert with 20 minutes left on the clock.
A thumping long-range shot by Cuthbert on 82 minutes smashed off the crossbar with Leitzig well eaten.
The Blues while dominant in possession, lacked the clinical finishing required.
On came Sjoeke Nusken for JoJo on 85 minutes.
Cuthbert decide to have another go on 88 minutes. And from a short free-kick she picked the ball up and let fly with a 30-yarder that zipped across the pitch, beyond the lunge by Leitzig and in to her far side-netting.
And that was that.
Next up is an FA Cup match, at Kingsmeadow, on Sunday against Crystal Palace.
Teams: Chelsea: Hampton, Bright, Ramirez, Macario, Bjorn, Rytting Kaneryd (JoJo) Charles, Bronze, Hamano, Jean-Francois, Beever-Jones
Subs: Spencer, Fishel, Nusken, Cuthbert, James, Lawrence, Baltimore, Kaptein, Brown
Leicester City: Leitzig, Nevin, Howard, Cayman, Ale, Thibaud, Goodwin, Cain, O'Brien, Momiki, Mace
Subs: Clark, Tierney, Takarada, Rose, Torres, Chossenotte, Swaby, Sherwood, Las
Referee: Abigail Byrne
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