Chelsea moved to inside a degree of Women’s Super League leaders Manchester United with a 6-0 thrashing of Leicester earlier than boss Emma Hayes ramped up the strain by revelling within the enjoyable of the chase.
Pernille Harder struck twice for the defending champions to assist them heat up for Sunday’s FA Cup ultimate towards title rivals Man United at Wembley with one other emphatic victory.
After thumping Everton 7-0 final weekend, Chelsea picked up the place they left off at Kingsmeadow with Guro Reiten, Erin Cuthbert, Lauren James and Jelena Cankovic heading in the right direction alongside Harder’s second consecutive brace.
It saved the five-time WSL winners within the driving seat for an additional championship as they’ve a sport in hand on United, who’ve 50 factors from 20 fixtures.
Both groups now have a objective distinction of 42 however Chelsea have scored extra general within the division which may very well be decisive in the event that they find yourself degree on factors later this month.
“I like this position, I like putting pressure on others. I don’t mind being there (top) but this is fun for me,” Hayes stated.
“We have always been chasing this whole year, always been a game or two behind. It’s nice to finally close the gap and now it’s about putting Man United under pressure because we’re not in the driving seat, we’re still in second.
“We have had to find ways to win without being scintillating, but I think our confidence is really high right now. We’re in the best place we’ve probably been in all season.
“I know what I want to do for Sunday. I know exactly how we want to play, I’m happy with the whole team, the team are playing well.”
Reiten’s eighth-minute end obtained Chelsea on their method earlier than Cuthbert hit her fiftieth objective for the membership with 18 minutes performed.
Harder stole the present with a first-half double and James stretched the lead early within the second interval with a shocking solo objective.
Cankovic accomplished the scoring in added time with one other spectacular strike to assist the second-placed Blues make it 4 league wins in a row.
Relegation-threatened Leicester – thumped 8-0 at dwelling by the Blues in December – stay two factors above backside membership Reading with two video games to go following their fifteenth defeat of a troublesome marketing campaign.
Arsenal boosted their hopes of Champions League qualification by climbing to 3rd after Stina Blackstenius’ early brace helped them document a 4-0 success over Brighton.
Sweden ahead Blackstenius struck within the sixth and eighth minutes to set the guests on track for a snug victory.
Frida Maanum and Victoria Pelova additionally claimed first-half objectives for the Gunners, who climbed above Manchester City on objective distinction with a sport in hand.
Source: www.impartial.co.uk