Match ends, Chelsea Ladies 2, Sunderland Ladies 1.
Chelsea Ladies 2-1 Sunderland Ladies
- From the section Women's Football
Chelsea moved within just one point of the Women's Super League One title with two games to go as they beat Sunderland soon after rivals Manchester City lost.
Victory ensured that Chelsea can secure a league and cup double if they avoid defeat at Bristol City on Tuesday.
Fran Kirby's heavily-deflected strike and Eni Aluko's close-range finish gave Emma Hayes's side a two-goal lead.
Sunderland pulled one back through Keira Ramshaw's late, crisp finish off the post, but defeat kept them ninth.
Hayes' side, who beat Bristol City 6-0 on the season's opening weekend in the reverse fixture, are bidding to reclaim the title they first won in 2015.
Saturday's win over the Lady Black Cats on a wet night at Kingsmeadow put them six points clear of City, whose defeat at Arsenal was their second in a row since going above Chelsea on goal difference on 3 May.
Kirby somewhat fortuitously opened the scoring when her shot was deflected and looped over keeper Rachael Laws.
Midfielder Katie Chapman, who was playing in her final home game for the club before retiring this summer, was unlucky not to score when she struck the inside of the post from long range.
Aluko doubled the hosts' lead with a first-time finish after the break, before a late scare from the visitors, but Chelsea held on.
Line-ups
Chelsea Ladies
- 28Telford
- 2Thorisdottir
- 5Flaherty
- 4Bright
- 7Davison
- 18Mjelde
- 17ChapmanSubstituted forCooperat 83'minutes
- 20AnderssonSubstituted forRaffertyat 59'minutes
- 22Cuthbert
- 14KirbySubstituted forBachmannat 67'minutes
- 9Aluko
Substitutes
- 1Lindahl
- 3Blundell
- 11Rafferty
- 21Cooper
- 23Bachmann
- 24Spence
Sunderland Ladies
- 1Laws
- 16Pitman
- 6Williams
- 14Sharp
- 5Sjoman
- 8LipkaSubstituted forBruinenbergat 70'minutes
- 11Wyne
- 18Lambert
- 37Staniforth
- 17Joice
- 7Ramshaw
Substitutes
- 4Stewart
- 9Koren
- 20Bruinenberg
- 23Griffiths
- 28Galloway
- 31Preuss
- Attendance:
- 1,940
Match Stats
Home TeamChelsea LadiesAway TeamSunderland Ladies
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away4
- Corners
- Home6
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home3
- Away4
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea Ladies 2, Sunderland Ladies 1.
Attempt missed. Dominique Bruinenberg (Sunderland Ladies) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea Ladies 2, Sunderland Ladies 1. Keira Ramshaw (Sunderland Ladies) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Abbey Joice.
Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea Ladies) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Victoria Williams (Sunderland Ladies).
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea Ladies. Deanna Cooper replaces Katie Chapman.
Foul by Gemma Davison (Chelsea Ladies).
Abbey Joice (Sunderland Ladies) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner, Chelsea Ladies. Conceded by Hayley Sharp.
Attempt blocked. Maren Mjelde (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Keira Ramshaw (Sunderland Ladies) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt saved. Maria Thorisdottir (Chelsea Ladies) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Katie Chapman (Chelsea Ladies) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lucy Staniforth (Sunderland Ladies).
Attempt missed. Abbey Joice (Sunderland Ladies) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland Ladies. Dominique Bruinenberg replaces Kasia Lipka because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Maren Mjelde (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea Ladies. Ramona Bachmann replaces Francesca Kirby.
Foul by Gemma Davison (Chelsea Ladies).
Kasia Lipka (Sunderland Ladies) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt saved. Rachel Pitman (Sunderland Ladies) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea Ladies. Claire Rafferty replaces Jonna Andersson.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea Ladies 2, Sunderland Ladies 0. Eniola Aluko (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jonna Andersson.
Corner, Chelsea Ladies. Conceded by Victoria Williams.
Corner, Sunderland Ladies. Conceded by Maria Thorisdottir.
Second Half
Second Half begins Chelsea Ladies 1, Sunderland Ladies 0.
Half Time
First Half ends, Chelsea Ladies 1, Sunderland Ladies 0.
Attempt missed. Eniola Aluko (Chelsea Ladies) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left.
Attempt missed. Eniola Aluko (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt blocked. Katie Chapman (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Chelsea Ladies. Conceded by Zaneta Wyne.
Katie Chapman (Chelsea Ladies) hits the left post with a right footed shot from outside the box.
Goal!
Goal! Chelsea Ladies 1, Sunderland Ladies 0. Francesca Kirby (Chelsea Ladies) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Gemma Davison.
Attempt missed. Mollie Lambert (Sunderland Ladies) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Abbey Joice (Sunderland Ladies) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Chelsea Ladies. Conceded by Victoria Williams.
Gemma Davison (Chelsea Ladies) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Abbey Joice (Sunderland Ladies).
Attempt saved. Zaneta Wyne (Sunderland Ladies) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
