Chelsea Women 5-0 West Ham: Dominant Display Maintains City’s WSL Lead

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Chelsea opened the 2026 Women’s Super League calendar with a ruthless 5-0 home win over West Ham, responding strongly after the winter break. The champions had beaten Brighton in their final 2025 league match and continued that form at Kingsmeadow, yet the result still left Chelsea trailing leaders Manchester City in the title race.

Manchester City protected top spot in the Women’s Super League by defeating Everton 2-0 at Joie Stadium, where Everton had a goal controversially ruled out. Kerolin struck for City before Vivianne Miedema added another, keeping Chelsea at arm’s length. Elsewhere, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Brighton all featured in key mid-table clashes that influenced the standings.

Chelsea seized control against West Ham almost instantly, going ahead after just 49 seconds when Yu Endo diverted the ball into an own net. Lauren James doubled the lead in the 28th minute. Alyssa Thompson soon struck the third, and Sandy Baltimore made it 4-0 before half-time, leaving West Ham overwhelmed and Chelsea cruising.

After the interval, Chelsea stayed on the front foot and were rewarded when Sandy Baltimore converted a penalty midway through the second half, completing a personal brace. The 5-0 success was especially significant, as Chelsea had lost their previous Women’s Super League home fixture 1-0 to Everton, ending a 34-match unbeaten home sequence in the competition.

The numbers highlighted Chelsea’s control over West Ham in this Women’s Super League meeting. Sonia Bompastor’s side produced 26 attempts, hitting the target 10 times. West Ham managed only one effort on goal. Expected goals data reflected that gap, with Chelsea recording 4.11 xG compared with West Ham’s 0.25 xG.

Other Women’s Super League fixtures also carried importance. Tottenham beat Leicester City 1-0, with Ashleigh Neville turning the ball into a own net that lifted Spurs above Manchester United and level on points with third-placed Arsenal. Aston Villa overturned a deficit to defeat Brighton 2-1, helped by second-half goals from Rachel Daly and Kirsty Hanson.

Chelsea’s response at Kingsmeadow restored confidence after the earlier setback against Everton and ensured Bompastor’s side avoided consecutive home league defeats for the first time since 2018. With Manchester City still ahead, every Women’s Super League match now holds extra weight for Chelsea, West Ham and the chasing pack in the evolving table.