Chelsea retook the Barclays Women’s Super League leadership, Brighton battled back for a 3-2 victory at Leicester City.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool (Att: 9,457)
Bristol City 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Att: 5,262)
Leicester City 2-3 Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham United 0-2 Chelsea
Aston Villa 1-3 Arsenal (Att: 10,076)
Chelsea went back to the top of the league on goal-difference from Manchester City, with a hard-fought win at West Ham. Lauren James set up Aggie Beever-Jones to give the visitors a second-minute advantage. Vivianne Asseyi had gone close for West Ham in the opening seconds, while Honoka Hayashi had a goal controversially ruled out as the hosts fought for an equaliser. Mayra Ramirez was denied by the boot of Hammers’ keeper Mackenzie Arnold and the far post in the last quarter of the match, while Asseyi clipped the Chelsea bar from her free kick, Chelsea eventually sealed the points with two minutes left of the ninety, Erin Cuthbert chesting down a corner kick and blasting a half-volley into the roof of the net.
Arsenal trailed Aston Villa at half-time but secured victory with three goals after the break. Adriana Leon’s pass saw Ebony Salmon put Villa ahead, the Gunners equalising when Anna Leat saved from Alessia Russo but Victoria Pelova was on hand to net the rebound. Russo also played a part in the second goal, crossing for Lotte Wubben-Moy to head in, Stina Blackstenius adding the visitors’ third goal.
Brighton came from behind to win at Leicester City in a thrilling five-goal second half. Jutta Rantala rifled the Foxes in front on 54 minutes from Yuka Momiki’s pass but within quarter of an hour, they found themselves 2-1 down. Madison Haley levelled from close range despite the efforts of keeper Lize Kop and on the break, Julia Olme sent Katie Robinson away to round the keeper and finish. Robinson then had a goal disallowed, Lena Petermann got Leicester level with six minutes left, only for Elisabeth Terland to volley Brighton straight back ahead. Rantala was desperately close to a last-gasp leveller but a crucial save by Sophie Baggaley saw the ball bounce over the bar.
Everton and Liverpool played out a goalless draw at Goodison Park, as the visitors went fourth in the table above Manchester United. The Reds came closest to a goal in the first half but Justine Vanhaevermaet put her body in the way of a rocket from Jas Matthews. The Toffees’ Lucy Hope hit the underside of the bar and Rachel Laws pushed away a 20-yard shot from Vanhaevermaet. Liverpool’s Ceri Holland burst into the box in added time but Courtney Brosnan helped block it out for a corner.
An early goal gave Tottenham Hotspur all three points at Ashton Gate. Relegation-threatened Bristol City were behind after only two minutes, Grace Clinton playing in Beth England for a clinical finish. England set up both Celin Bizet and Jess Naz for great chances on goal but neither troubled the keeper. Fran Bentley tipped a Drew Spence strike over the top, moments afterwards Spurs’ Wang Shuang headed against the post. Matila Vinberg also struck an upright for Spurs at the death.
