In front of 4,337 fans at Kingsmeadow, Chelsea kicked off the 2024/25 Women’s Super League season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, thanks to a stunning strike from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.
The Swedish midfielder broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, unleashing a superb shot from the edge of the box that flew into the side netting, following an assist from Colombian forward Maya Ramirez.
Both teams have undergone managerial changes since Chelsea’s last 3-0 win over Villa at Kingsmeadow. Sonia Bompastor, who took charge of the Blues over the summer, squared off against Robert de Pauw, the first Dutch manager in WSL history, now at the helm of Villa.
In the 8th minute, a round of applause rippled through the stadium to honour the memory of Maddy Cusack, who tragically passed away a year ago.
Chelsea dominated the first half, with Bompastor’s side controlling possession and testing Villa’s goalkeeper, Sabrina D’Angelo, on multiple occasions. Summer signing Lucy Bronze and Norwegian international Guro Reiten combined well throughout the match, but despite their impressive link-up play, Chelsea struggled to capitalise on several promising chances.
At halftime, with Villa trailing 1-0, De Pauw made tactical adjustments, including introducing Kirsty Hanson for Lucy Staniforth, who had picked up an early yellow card for a strong challenge. However, Chelsea continued to press, with Erin Cuthbert and Reiten dictating the tempo in midfield.
In the 53rd minute, new signing Sandy Baltimore nearly made an impact on her debut, but she lost control of a dangerous cross as it skidded away from her.
Villa’s aggressive search for an equaliser forced Chelsea’s defense to drop deeper, but captain Millie Bright marshalled the backline expertly. Kadeisha Buchanan, the Canadian centre-back, put in a standout performance, executing perfectly timed tackles to keep the visitors at bay.
In the 63rd minute, De Pauw made further changes, replacing Kenza Dali with Adriana Leon, while Katie Robinson came on for the lively Chasity Grant. Chelsea also refreshed their side, with Maika Hamano replacing debutant Baltimore. Hamano, who scored her first goal for the Blues last season against Villa, joined Aggie Beever-Jones, who came on for the tireless Ramirez.
As the clock ticked down, Bompastor introduced Lauren James in the 83rd minute for match-winner Kaneryd. James’ ball retention helped Chelsea maintain control and run down the clock. Villa made a final push, with Lucy Parker making way for Ebony Salmon, signaling a shift to a more attacking formation.
The closing stages provided some late drama. With three minutes of added time, Villa threw everything forward, including goalkeeper D’Angelo, who ventured upfield for a last-ditch free kick. Her powerful header was expertly tipped over by former Villa goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, preserving Chelsea’s clean sheet.
Reiten, after a commanding performance, was replaced by Aniek Nouwen in a final time-wasting substitution. The full-time whistle blew, sealing Sonia Bompastor’s first league win as Chelsea head coach.
Starting XIs
Chelsea: Hampton, Bronze, Bright (C), Buchanan, Lawrence, Cuthbert, Nusken, Reitan, Baltimore, Kaneryd, Ramirez
Aston Villa: D’Angelo, Martiz, Patten, Parker, Tomas, Nobbs, Staniforth, Grant, Kearns, Dali, Daly (C)
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