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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
John Ashdown

Chelsea clinch WSL title on final day – as it happened

Chelsea are champions.
Chelsea are champions. Photograph: Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

As the Chelsea squad scale a corner of Kingsmeadow and salute the fans outside the ground, I’m going to wrap this blog up. Here’s our report from today’s game:

More from Hayes: “I said to them when they picked their medals up: ‘You like winning? Good. Because you’ve got to win again next weekend.’ I know the quality and mentality we have. I know how amazing Barcelona are, but so are we.

“This is always the big one, because it shows you’re consistent as champions.”

And here’s Emma Hayes: “This is the best squad I’ve had, it’s the best title in my time here. I cannot wait for the Champions League final next weekend. We’re ready.”

Here’s Fran Kirby: “The performance today wasn’t out best,” she says. After a 5-0 win. “The character in this team is incredible.”

The champagne corks start popping as Chelsea lift the trophy. Magda Eriksson and Mille Bright do the honours. Richly deserved and who knows how much silverware could be in the trophy cabinet by the end of season.

Time for the trophy lift. Covid guidelines mean the Chelsea players have to pick their medals out of a big pile on a plinth.

Full-time scores

Arsenal 0-0 Aston Villa
Birmingham 0-1 Tottenham
Brighton 3-1 Bristol City
Chelsea 5-0 Reading
Man Utd 2-0 Everton
West Ham 0-1 Man City

And the top of the table:

Pos Team P GD Pts
1 Chelsea Women 22 59 57
2 Man City Women 22 52 55
3 Arsenal Women 22 48 48
4 Man Utd Women 22 24 47
5 Everton Women 22 9 32

Updated

Bristol City are relegated

All over at Brighton, where a 3-1 win for the home side means the visitors are relegated.

Chelsea are Women's Super League champions

Full-time and Chelsea can celebrate what could be part one of an historic league and European double. They were simply too good for Reading, with Fran Kirby exceptional in the 5-0 win.

Champions.
Champions. Photograph: Chris Lee/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Updated

Full-time: West Ham 0-1 Manchester City

So City just about do their part despite missing two penalties.

And into injury time at Kingsmeadow. Three minutes before the celebrations can begin.

Into injury time at West Ham where Manchester City you feel would quite like today to be over. To say they’ve had a frustrating afternoon would be an understatement.

Fran Kirby’s pass for Chelsea’s fourth was something a bit special:

PENALTY TO CITY … MISSED

A second penalty of the match for Manchester City … and again it’s saved by Arnold in the West Ham goal! Remarkable stuff. Sam Mewis missed the first one but City’s other American midfielder Rose Lavelle was the culprit this time.

GOAL! Chelsea 5-0 Reading (Cuthbert)

Chelsea are running riot now. The substitute Erin Cuthbert makes it five and there’s still another 15 minutes for Reading to survive.

Erin Cuthbert scores Chelsea’s fifth goal.
Erin Cuthbert scores Chelsea’s fifth goal. Photograph: Catherine Ivill - The FA/The FA/Getty Images

Updated

GOAL! Brighton 3-1 Bristol City (Kaagman)

But a third Brighton goal extinguishes any hope for the bottom club.

GOAL! Birmingham 0-1 Tottenham (Graham)

Spurs take the lead at Birmingham – that’s one of the goals Bristol City needed. Two of their own required now.

GOAL! Chelsea 4-0 Reading (Kerr)

But Manchester City can score all the goals the like – they title is heading to Chelsea. Sam Kerr gets her second of the game, poking home from close range.

Updated

GOAL! West Ham 0-1 Manchester City (White)

Finally City have their breakthrough. Bronze picks Cissoko’s pocket in the left-back position and drills in a cross to the near post, where Ellen White volleys home acrobatically.

Here’s the goal that has given Bristol City a hint of a lifeline at the bottom:

They need two more in the final 20 minutes, though, and hope that either Arsenal or Tottenham get a winner against Aston Villa or Birmingham respectively.

Carter thumps a shot wide for Reading as the visitors look to pull one back.

Halfway through the second half and still Manchester City can’t find a way past this West Ham defence. The Chelsea scoreline makes their own somewhat irrelevant but Gareth Taylor’s side won’t want to finish the season on a downer.

GOAL! Brighton 2-1 Bristol City (Harrison)

The bottom side pull one back on the south coast but they still need a couple more.

Here’s that Kirby strike:

That goal sparks a flurry of Chelsea changes.

GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Reading (Kirby)

Kirby makes it safe! Kerr capitalises on some hesitant defending and squares to Kirby on the edge of the box. The finish is unerring. 3-0. All over.

Updated

Reading serve notice that they’re not quite down yet, though, Eriksson forced into a block to deny Chaplen.

Fran Kirby briefly goes down with an injury – a concern with the Champions League final just a week away. She’s soon back on her feet, though. You wonder if Emma Hayes might be pondering a few changes pretty imminently with this game close to sewn up and the big game against Barcelona looming next weekend.

GOAL! Brighton 2-0 Bristol City (Lee)

That should seal Bristol City’s fate. Lee smashes home from close range to send Brighton 2-0 up and the visitors down to the Championship.

Goal for Brighton!
Goal for Brighton! Photograph: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

Updated

And, having said that, Fara Williams comes as close as Reading have to getting on the scoresheet, looking to catch Berger out at her near post from distance. The goalkeeper just gets there, though.

Reading have been the better side at the start of the second half but they’re struggling to create anything that could really be called a chance against this formidable Chelsea defence.

City hit the bar again! AND AGAIN! The first header from a corner pings away off the bar and as it drops the follow up header from Mewis is again planted against the woodwork.

They’re keen to get on with it at West Ham and the teams there seem to have kicked off a minute or two before the rest.

Off we go again then. You wouldn’t be surprised to see Chelsea run away with this in the second half. And it’s hard to see West Ham holding out for another 45.

Half-time scores

Arsenal 0-0 Aston Villa
Birmingham 0-0 Tottenham
Brighton 1-0 Bristol City
Chelsea 2-0 Reading
Man Utd 1-0 Everton
West Ham 0-0 Man City

Half-time: Chelsea 2-0 Reading

Half-time at Kingsmeadow and Chelsea are 45 minutes away from the title. Reading have been tough opponents but Chelsea have just been too good.

Harder nearly makes it three for Chelsea deep into first-half injury time but her close range shot is straight at Moloney.

Updated

Half-time: West Ham 0-0 Manchester City

The half-time whistle blows in east London. West Ham have somehow kept Manchester City at bay.

GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Reading (Kirby)

That should clinch it! Superb stuff from the Kerr and Kirby connection. Kirby finds her Australian teammate in the left channel, her pull-back returns the ball to her teammate, who lifts the ball into the top corner from 10 yards.

Has Fran Kirby clinched the title for Chelsea?
Has Fran Kirby clinched the title for Chelsea? Photograph: Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Updated

Harder nods wide at the far post for Chelsea from Leupolz’s looping cross.

Manchester City have had the chances to be three or four up but credit to West Ham for sticking to their task. Still seems only a matter of time but a bit of justice done there – looked a very soft penalty on second viewing.

PENALTY SAVED!

Mewis steps up but the American sees her spot-kick turned away by Arnold!

Mackenzie Arnold saves a penalty from Sam Mewis.
Mackenzie Arnold saves a penalty from Sam Mewis. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters

Updated

Penalty to Manchester City

White goes down after being bundled over by Arnold in the West Ham goal.

Reading have really come into the game as the half has worn on – Chelsea goalkeeper Berger has to scramble to make a clearance under pressure. An equaliser isn’t out of the question here.

The West Ham goal is living a charmed life – a clearance off the line denies Weir this time.

So 30 minutes gone on the final day. As it stands Chelsea are champions and Bristol City are going down. Would only take a couple of goals to change that, though.

There’s a delay at Kingsmeadow after Eriksson and Carter are involved in a clash of heads. The Chelsea captain seems to have come off worse.

Now City go close! Weir’s effort thunders off the underside of the bar. And White can’t turn the rebound goalwards.

Caroline Weir and Ellen White react after a missed chance.
Caroline Weir and Ellen White react after a missed chance. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters

Updated

GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Everton (Toone)

West Ham are a whisker away from going in front against Manchester City. A storming run fro Cissoko gets City back-pedalling, she feeds Dali, whose cross falls back to Cissoko but her cross-goal volley is narrowly wide.

Kerr is close to getting on the end of a smart Ji pass on the edge of the box. The resulting corner is half-cleared but Reading are on the ropes a touch.

West Ham have a dangerous free-kick on the left corner of the Manchester City area … thunked straight into the wall.

Here’s that opening goal at Brighton:

West Ham scramble the ball away for a corner as Manchester City press for an opener. It’s one-way traffic in east London at the moment, though.

Stat!

GOAL! Brighton 1-0 Bristol City (Le Tissier)

A key goal at the bottom of the table as Maya Le Tissier volleys Brighton ahead against the bottom club.

Goal for Brighton!
Goal for Brighton! Photograph: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

Updated

Here’s that Chelsea goal (for UK readers):

At first viewing it appeared Moloney was unsighted but in fact the keeper had a clear sight. A waving defender’s leg might have been enough for her to hesitate or take her eye off the ball.

7 min: Reading have a corner, which Fara Williams play short. It’ws nicely worked to the edge of the box, where Rowe sees her thumping shot well blocked.

City, for their part, also look in the mood but they way Chelsea have started suggests they might not have much say in things.

Cameras at West Ham show Gareth Taylor on the Manchester City bench looking pensive. Unfortunately they also catch a member of his coaching staff picking his nose behind him.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Reading (Leupolz 2)

Well that didn’t take long! Chelsea force a corner which is drilled in by Carter. It falls to Leupolz on the edge of the box and her sidefoot effort beats Moloney far too easily. Chelsea have one hand on the title after less than 70 seconds.

Goal for Chelsea!
Goal for Chelsea! Photograph: Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Updated

Peep! Off we go then!

All matches today are being preceded by a minute of applause for Julie Chipchase, a legend of the women’s game with Doncaster Belles and England.

The players are also out on the other side of the capital at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.

Out come the players at Kingsmeadow. A bright day in south London greets the squads.

Here’s how it stands as we close in on kick-off. I should point out that this table is slightly out of date: Birmingham were deducted a point on Friday for fielding an ineligible player and so could drop if results go against them today.

A draw for Chelsea against Reading would open the door to Manchester City, who would then need a three-goal victory at West Ham.

Bristol City, who need three points to have any hope of survival, have only won twice all season but one of those victories did come against Brighton, who they face today.

Pos Team P GD Pts
1 Chelsea Women 21 54 54
2 Man City Women 21 51 52
3 Arsenal Women 21 48 47
4 Man Utd Women 21 22 44
5 Everton Women 21 11 32
6 Reading Women 21 -11 24
7 Brighton & Hove Albion Women 21 -22 24
8 Tottenham Hotspur Women 21 -24 17
9 West Ham Women 21 -17 15
10 Birmingham City Women 21 -28 15
11 Aston Villa Women 21 -32 14
12 Bristol City Women 21 -52 12

Team news: Manchester United v Everton

Team news: Brighton v Bristol City

Team news: Birmingham v Tottenham

Team news: Arsenal v Aston Villa

Team news: West Ham v Manchester City

Of particular note in the Reading team, it is Fara Williams’s final game after a career that spans more than two decades. Her story is truly a remarkable one.

Team news: Chelsea v Reading

Preamble

Hello all. The destination of the Women’s Super League title hangs in the balance as the campaign heads into its final day. Manchester City need to win at struggling West Ham – and surely they will – to give themselves a chance but Chelsea are in the box seat. Emma Hayes’s side should – should – secure back-to-back titles with a win at home against mid-table Reading.

At the bottom, one of Bristol City, Aston Villa and Birmingham will drop down to the Championship. Bristol City, two points adrift at the bottom, need to win and hope one of the two West Midlands clubs lose. City travel to Brighton – a touch place to pick up three points – Birmingham are at home against Tottenham, while Villa face a daunting trip to Arsenal.

Today’s fixtures (all 2.30pm BST)

Arsenal v Aston Villa
Birmingham v Tottenham
Brighton v Bristol City
West Ham v Manchester City
Manchester Utd v Everton
Chelsea v Reading

Pre-match reading

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