WSL: Chelsea's Reiten scores late penalty to secure victory over Arsenal as Blues stay unbeaten
Chelsea maintained their dominance at the top of the Women’s Super League (WSL) with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. A late penalty from Guro Reiten sealed the victory in front of a record-breaking crowd of 34,302, while Arsenal's Katie McCabe saw red in a tense encounter.
Sonia Bompastor's side remains undefeated in the league, sitting comfortably atop the standings with 34 points. They are nine points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who triumphed 4-2 over Aston Villa on Saturday, and 10 points ahead of third-placed Arsenal.
A win for Arsenal could have slashed Chelsea’s lead to just four points, but the tightly-contested game remained deadlocked until the closing moments.
In the 83rd minute, Lauren James was brought down in the penalty area by Arsenal’s Kim Little, leading to a dramatic turn of events. Arsenal’s McCabe received two quick yellow cards, the second for foul and abusive language, resulting in her dismissal.
Stepping up to take the penalty just minutes after coming on as a substitute, Norwegian winger Guro Reiten coolly slotted the ball low to the goalkeeper’s left, securing a crucial win for the Blues.
Elsewhere in the league, bottom-placed Crystal Palace suffered a heart-wrenching defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. After battling back from two goals down to draw level, Spurs debutant Olivia Holdt delivered a stunning free-kick in the 95th minute to give her team a 3-2 victory.
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The loss deepens Palace’s woes as they remain on five points. Meanwhile, second-from-bottom Leicester City claimed a crucial 2-1 win over Liverpool, moving to nine points and keeping their survival hopes alive. Everton, in 11th place, lost 2-0 to West Ham United, sitting just one point ahead of Leicester.
In Sunday’s late kickoff, Manchester United faces Brighton & Hove Albion as they look to close the gap on Chelsea and solidify their position in the league’s top tier.
SportsLigue