Chelsea laid down an early marker in the Women’s Super League title race on Friday night, defeating fellow contenders Manchester City 2-1 in a gripping season opener at Stamford Bridge.
Goals from Aggie Beever-Jones and Maika Hamano secured victory for Sonia Bompastor’s side, while a late Niamh Charles own goal ensured a nervy finish as City pressed for an equaliser.
Bompastor, who guided Chelsea to an unbeaten WSL campaign and a domestic treble last season, faced her toughest possible test first up. City were the only English side to beat the Blues in 90 minutes last term, knocking them off in the Champions League quarter-finals.
New City boss Andrée Jeglertz, managing his first WSL match, set his side up to press Chelsea aggressively from the start. Bunny Shaw came close to capitalising on an early mistake, but it was the hosts who struck first.
Ellie Carpenter, outstanding down the right flank, whipped in a cross for Beever-Jones to finish clinically, giving Chelsea the lead before half-time. City responded with pressure of their own, as Shaw tested Hannah Hampton and Alex Greenwood rattled the bar with a thunderous free-kick.
The second half followed a similar pattern. City dominated possession early, but Hampton kept them at bay with a string of crucial saves. Chelsea gradually reasserted themselves, and substitute Catarina Macario made an instant impact, dummied Kaptein’s cross to set up Hamano, who doubled the lead.
An own goal from Charles gave City hope late on, as Greenwood’s set-piece caused chaos in the Chelsea box. But despite a frantic finale, the champions held firm to secure all three points and deliver an early statement of intent in the 2025/26 WSL title race.
