Match ends, Everton Women 0, Chelsea Women 3.
Everton WomenEverton Women0Chelsea WomenChelsea Women3
Chelsea recovered from missing a penalty in the opening minute to overcome Everton and stay top of the Women's Super League.
Everton goalkeeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela saved superbly from Melanie Leupolz's spot-kick in the game's first action.
Fran Kirby opened the scoring, coolly slotting past Korpela from Sam Kerr's first-time ball.
Pernille Harder rolled in their second after the break, and Leupolz added a late third to complete the win.
A 10th win in 11 league matches kept Chelsea two points clear of title rivals Manchester City, who beat Bristol City, with five games of the season to play.
The visitors were given a great chance to open the scoring when Everton's Lucy Graham handled the ball in the penalty area, but stand-in goalkeeper Korpela, replacing the injured Sandy MacIver, guessed right to keep out Leupolz's penalty.
Chelsea didn't let the setback affect them and went ahead when Kerr spotted Kirby's run and slid a ball in behind the defence, which the England forward finished off with style for her 12th goal of the season.
Having been dominated by the visitors in the opening period, Everton improved in the second half, but the wind was knocked out of their sails when a swift break ended in Kirby unselfishly laying the ball off to Harder who slotted home from close range.
There was still time for Leupolz to avenge her penalty miss, with the German finishing off a rebound which fell kindly after Korpela had saved from Harder.
Line-ups
Everton Women
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 23Korpela
- 16RasoBooked at 49minsSubstituted forLehmannat 71'minutes
- 20Finnigan
- 4Sevecke
- 6George
- 18Scott
- 8Christiansen
- 14SørensenSubstituted forWoldat 71'minutes
- 17Graham
- 11Emslie
- 10MagillSubstituted forGauvinat 59'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Wold
- 7Boye-Hlorkah
- 9Lehmann
- 12Kirby
- 13Stringer
- 19Gauvin
- 21Clemaron
- 26Clinton
- 30Pattinson
Chelsea Women
Formation 4-3-1-2
- 30Berger
- 21Charles
- 4Bright
- 16Eriksson
- 25AnderssonSubstituted forCarterat 82'minutes
- 22Cuthbert
- 8LeupolzBooked at 72mins
- 10Ji
- 23Harder
- 14KirbySubstituted forFlemingat 82'minutes
- 20KerrSubstituted forReitenat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Musovic
- 3Blundell
- 7Carter
- 11Reiten
- 17Fleming
- 24Spence
- 28Telford
- 29Fox
- 34Wardlaw
- Referee:
- Emily Heaslip
Match Stats
Home TeamEverton WomenAway TeamChelsea Women
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away8
- Corners
- Home6
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Everton Women 0, Chelsea Women 3.
Post update
Foul by Lucy Graham (Everton Women).
Post update
Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Everton Women. Conceded by Millie Bright.
Post update
Corner, Everton Women. Conceded by Jessica Carter.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ji So-Yun (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Pernille Harder.
Post update
Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Alisha Lehmann.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea Women. Jessica Carter replaces Jonna Andersson.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea Women. Jessie Fleming replaces Fran Kirby.
Post update
Attempt missed. Guro Reiten (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Fran Kirby.
Goal!
Goal! Everton Women 0, Chelsea Women 3. Melanie Leupolz (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Attempt saved. Pernille Harder (Chelsea Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Niamh Charles with a cross.
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Guro Reiten (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Megan Finnigan (Everton Women).
Post update
Attempt saved. Valérie Gauvin (Everton Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Claire Emslie with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Everton Women. Conceded by Millie Bright.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Valérie Gauvin (Everton Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ingrid Moe Wold with a cross.
Booking
Melanie Leupolz (Chelsea Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Melanie Leupolz (Chelsea Women).
