A spectacular second half performance from Fran Kirby proved to be the difference between the two title rivals after the two sides shared spot kicks.
This was Chelsea and Manchester City’s first meeting since their Community Shield clash and with these two teams finishing first and second in the league respectively last season, this game will likely only grow in importance as the season rolls on.
In the early stages, it was a predictably tight affair, with City being the best defensive team in the WSL last season while the Londoners were the league’s highest goal scorers.
Pernille Harder looked comfortable early on and looked to be Chelsea’s biggest threat on the ball.
The first clear chance of the half came after a weaving run from Sam Mewis from the wing to the centre of the field.
Mewis would strike a low effort from outside the box that rattled the outside of the post and likely left Chelsea fans across the country breathing a collective sigh of relief.
Just after the half hour mark, the game would get it’s first deciding moment, a ball played into the Man City box drew loud handball claims from the defending champions and the penalty was subsequently given.
City striker Ellen White was booked for the handball, despite her protests that the ball did not hit her but on a replay, it was clear that the player who actually committed the foul was Demi Stokes.
Maren Mjelde would step up to take the spot kick and send Ellie Roebuck the wrong way to give Chelsea the advantage going into halftime in her fiftieth WSL appearance.
Early in the second half, Fran Kirby would come alive, setting up multiple clear-cut chances for Sam Kerr, who struggled to hit the target.
Kerr would eventually get her goal as after a ten-minute period of continued Chelsea pressure, Kirby would time her run perfectly to get in behind Stokes and would play a first-time cross low into the path of Kerr.
Kerr would make no mistakes from close range and would double Chelsea’s lead.
City would respond well, as the substitutes Georgia Stanway and Rose Lavelle opened the play up for the Manchester outfit and threatened to get the FA Cup finalists back into the tie.
In what many City fans will see as atonement for the first half, Manchester City were awarded a penalty after a handball by Chelsea centre-half Millie Bright.
Chloe Kelly would fire the spot kick into the top right corner to trim Chelsea’s lead to one.
The hosts would not allow their title rivals to equalise however as another powerful run from Kirby ended with the former Reading star rounding Roebuck and calmly finishing into the empty net to make the score 3-1 with just over ten minutes to play.
This victory leaves Chelsea just two points behind league leaders Arsenal and keeps the Blues unbeaten in the WSL this season, while Man City are now left already five points off the pace.
It also gives Chelsea victories over both of their likely title rivals in the space of a week after Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in the Continental Cup in midweek.
Chelsea will have to wait for their next WSL game as their next tie against Aston Villa has been postponed, while Manchester City will look to get back to winning ways away to Reading on the 18th.
The Inbound Observer 