Leaders Chelsea hit eight at bottom club Leicester

2 years ago 28

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Chelsea made light work of bottom side Leicester to maintain their impressive Women's Super League title defence at the King Power Stadium.

The Blues were five goals up at the break thanks to Guro Reiten, Fran Kirby, Jessie Fleming, Niamh Charles and Sam Kerr.

Fleming then grabbed her second and substitute Beth England headed home number seven.

Kirby added an eighth on a ruthless afternoon for the leaders.

It took just four minutes for Chelsea to take the lead through Reiten, who slid the ball into the bottom corner after clever link-up play with Kirby.

Reiten then got the first of four assists eight minutes later, slotting the ball into Fleming and leaving her with a simple finish from close range.

Fully in control, Chelsea began to exert themselves further, scoring three times in the final six minutes of the opening half.

Kirby got in on the act with a classy outside-of-the-boot finish, before Charles headed home from a Reiten corner.

Not to be left out, Kerr added a fifth as Reiten's assist stole the show again. Her searching ball left the Australian with an easy task, but her finish was typically emphatic.

Five minutes after the break, Fleming added to Leicester's misery. Jemma Purfield's weak clearance from Charles' cross fell to her, and she dispatched with confidence.

Moments after their introduction, Alsu Abdullina and England linked up for the latter to head home a seventh 15 minutes from time.

There was still time for Kirby to bundle home late on, with Abdullina involved again.

Brilliant Blues mark Hayes landmark in style

This result is hardly a surprise. Leicester, albeit improving in terms of performances under Willie Kirk, came into this game bottom of the table without a point from their first eight games.

By contrast, the champions kicked off knowing they'd need a victory to stay there after Manchester United's thumping win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Although they couldn't match or surpass their numerical dominance from their last visit to the King Power back in March when they won 9-0, their dominance here was just as evident.

It was the Reiten show in the first half, and her ball for Kerr was particularly eye-catching as she enjoyed a record-equalling four assists in the WSL.

But the difference in quality was so great that almost everybody had their moment on the occasion of coach Emma Hayes' 300th match in charge.

Leicester battled well, but will be relieved their season will not be defined by tough games like this as they remain four points adrift of 11th-placed Reading.

Line-ups

Leicester City Women

Formation 4-3-3

1Lambourne
13SimonSubstituted forBottat 45'minutes
15Howard
6Brougham
23PurfieldSubstituted forVanceat 78'minutes
10Whelan
3TierneyBooked at 36minsSubstituted forSmithat 83'minutes
8Pike
20GoodwinSubstituted forCainat 76'minutes
16Jones
32BakerSubstituted forFlintat 45'minutes

Substitutes

2Vance
4Bott
7Flint
12Jones
21Cain
28Levell
34Smith
40Robinson
44Scofield

Chelsea Women

Formation 3-4-3

30Berger
15PérissetSubstituted forCarterat 74'minutes
4Bright
16ErikssonSubstituted forNouwenat 74'minutes
19Rytting Kaneryd
14Kirby
5Ingle
21Charles
17FlemingSubstituted forCankovicat 63'minutes
20KerrSubstituted forEnglandat 63'minutes
11ReitenSubstituted forAbdullinaat 75'minutes

Substitutes

1Musovic
3Nouwen
7Carter
9England
10James
13Svitková
22Cuthbert
27Abdullina
28Cankovic

Live Text

Match ends, Leicester City Women 0, Chelsea Women 8.
Second Half ends, Leicester City Women 0, Chelsea Women 8.
Attempt saved. Bethany England (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alsu Abdullina.
Attempt saved. Aniek Nouwen (Chelsea Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.
Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Hannah Cain.
Substitution, Leicester City Women. Mackenzie Smith replaces Sam Tierney.
Goal! Leicester City Women 0, Chelsea Women 8. Fran Kirby (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal.
Substitution, Leicester City Women. Demi Vance replaces Jemma Purfield.
Substitution, Leicester City Women. Hannah Cain replaces Missy Goodwin.
Goal! Leicester City Women 0, Chelsea Women 7. Bethany England (Chelsea Women) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Alsu Abdullina with a cross.
Substitution, Chelsea Women. Alsu Abdullina replaces Guro Reiten.
Substitution, Chelsea Women. Jess Carter replaces Ève Périsset.
Substitution, Chelsea Women. Aniek Nouwen replaces Magdalena Eriksson.
Attempt missed. Jelena Cankovic (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Magdalena Eriksson.
Attempt blocked. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fran Kirby.
Corner, Leicester City Women. Conceded by Niamh Charles.
Attempt missed. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Bethany England.
Substitution, Chelsea Women. Bethany England replaces Sam Kerr.
Substitution, Chelsea Women. Jelena Cankovic replaces Jessie Fleming.
Attempt missed. Molly Pike (Leicester City Women) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is too high following a corner.