‘Vive la Révolution,’ proclaimed the new banner behind the Chelsea goal, featuring a picture of manager Sonia Bompastor gazing skyward. The revolution commenced with a 1-0 win against Aston Villa, whose new manager and top-six aspirations were overshadowed by Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s first-half goal. Bompastor had repeatedly emphasized her desire for Chelsea to be a dominant force, a vision that seemed to manifest in their pre-season performances. But would this translate into competitive play? Could the transition from Emma Hayes, who managed the club for 12 years, to the Champions League winner Bompastor affect their fluidity and dominance?
If the WSL opener at Kingsmeadow, attended by a sold-out crowd of 4,337, serves as a gauge for Chelsea’s transition year, then the other WSL teams should be wary. Six new faces graced the field, including four debutants for Aston Villa managed by Robert de Pauw and two summer recruits for Chelsea under Bompastor. Notably absent was Villa’s deadline day signing Gabi Nunes, who had yet to join the squad. Meanwhile, Lauren James began on the bench due to a minor injury sustained in a friendly.
From the kick-off, Chelsea demonstrated their intent to shape the title race. The Blues were energetic in possession, a testament to the fresh energy injected by Bompastor. Guro Reiten nearly scored within three minutes, but her effort went wide. Reiten remained central to Chelsea’s attacks, her free-kick finding Sjoeke Nüsken, whose header was just too high. She came close twice more in the first half but missed the target each time.
Aston Villa had their moments, particularly when Kearns’ quick-react side-foot shot went high from close range. The decisive goal came in the 36th minute when Kaneryd’s unstoppable curving shot found the far corner. Despite Villa’s efforts in the second half, Chelsea’s dominance was evident. Hannah Hampton made crucial saves, and Rachel Daly’s header hit the crossbar. Substitute Maika Hamano’s deflected shot was saved by D’Angelo, and Hampton’s late save kept the scoreline intact.
In the end, the 1-0 victory was a fair reflection of both Chelsea’s dominance and Villa’s resilience. The result maintains the relative league ambitions for both sides.
