WSL: Chelsea kick-start Bompastor regime with 1-0 win over Aston Villa

Chelsea, the reigning Women's Super League champions, began their season with a 1-0 home win over Aston Villa, thanks to a goal from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, which gave new coach Sonia Bompastor all three points in her first league game in charge.

The 44-year-old Frenchwoman, who took over from Emma Hayes, watched her team start well, with winger Guro Reiten sending two efforts wide, but Villa had a few chances of their own in an even first half.

Sweden's Rytting Kaneryd gave Chelsea the lead in the 36th minute, scything from left to right across the box before drawing the ball back onto her left foot and curling it into the top-left corner for a superb finish.

Rachel Daly nearly levelled the game for Villa early in the second half, but her looping header from just inside the penalty area flew off the top of the crossbar and out of play.

The visitors looked stronger than the club that finished seventh in the 12-team league last season, but they struggled at times against Chelsea's press, frequently giving the ball away in their own half.

Villa mounted plenty of pressure late on, and Daly went close with a header from a corner, but Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton made a superb save, which was followed shortly afterwards by another stop from fellow keeper Sabrina D'Angelo to secure the win.

"It's always important to start with the win. I hoped maybe we could score more goals and be more relieved. But everyone told me 'welcome to the league' and this is why I came," Bompastor told the BBC.

"The result is always important. I want to see my team play a good style of football. It's never easy, but I want players to enjoy it on the pitch and make fans happy," she added.

SportsLigue