Chelsea bounce back from Lauren James injury to continue perfect start under Sonia Bompastor
The champions overcame an early scare to thrash Tottenham, but James has been forced to pull out of England’s squad with a calf injury
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Chelsea’s Johanna Rytting Kaneryd scored a stunning flying volley as Sonia Bompastor’s side maintained their perfect start to the Women’s Super League season with a 5-2 win over Tottenham.
The champions were given a scare by Spurs when goalkeeper Hannah Hampton dropped Amanda Nilden’s cross over the line to cancel out Maika Hamano’s early goal, but thereafter Chelsea took control.
First Nilden headed into her own net on the stroke of half-time before Kaneryd scored twice either side of Sandy Baltimore’s second goal for the club. Eveliina Summanen scored a fine free-kick for Tottenham but it was mere consolation.
Chelsea were without Lauren James, the England international withdrawing from Sarina Wiegman’s squad earlier on Sunday with a calf injury sustained before last week’s Champions League win over Twente.
The 23-year-old will undergo rehabilitation at the club’s Cobham training base during the international break, but against Spurs, Chelsea initially made light work of their talisman’s absence and went in front after 10 minutes.
Kaneryd stole possession after a heavy touch from Nilden and raced into space down the right. With Nilden caught out of position, Kaneryd arrived in the box and cut a pass back for the waiting Hamano who side-footed home from six yards.
Then came a horror moment for Hampton in the Chelsea goal.
The hosts were comfortably on top when what looked to be a mishit cross from Nilden midway inside the attacking half caught out the backtracking goalkeeper who fumbled the ball to the ground and, in the judgement of the assistant referee, over the goal-line for 1-1.
Replays failed to produce conclusive evidence that the ball had gone in, as Hampton was booked for her protests.
Sjoeke Nusken struck a post from an outrageous position almost on the touchline as Chelsea sought an instant riposte, though goalkeeper Becky Spence was careless in allowing the ball to bounce wide of her and against the upright.
The first half ended with Nilden involved in another calamity, this time to gift the lead back to Chelsea.
Guro Reiten’s corner to the near post looked to be an easy take for Spencer, but miscommunication with her defender saw Nilden rise to apply the faintest glance to flick it around her goalkeeper and in.
Jessica Naz, a thorn in Chelsea’s left-hand side throughout the first half, showed smart vision to pick out the run of Drew Spence who burst into the box and struck low towards the near post, drawing a redemptive save from Hampton.
It felt like a result that might still slip away from Chelsea until 20 minutes from time when Kaneryd succeeded with the most audacious attempt, leaping high to volley home Millie Bright’s deep cross as it dropped from the sky.
Kaneryd won the penalty which led to Chelsea’s fourth, her cross striking the arm of Clare Hunt. Reiten’s spot-kick struck a post but Baltimore was on hand to send it back across goal and in.
Summanen’s late free-kick gave Spurs fans behind the goal reason to cheer but Chelsea had the final say when Kaneryd fired her second into roof of the net to make it five.
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