LONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea’s Johanna Rytting Kaneryd crowned an electric display with two goals, including a world-class effort, as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-2 to go second in the Women’s Super League on Sunday, with a game in hand over leaders Manchester City.
City had to come from behind to beat Aston Villa earlier in the day to move to 13 points from their five games, but Rytting Kaneryd and Chelsea kept the pressure on with an emphatic victory to make it four wins out of four.
The Blues took the lead in the 10th minute with the simplest of goals as Rytting Kaneryd won the ball high up the field from fellow Swede Amanda Nilden and surged to the byline before cutting it back for Maika Hamano to score with ease.
Spurs grabbed a bizarre equaliser in the 21st minute as fullback Nilden launched a speculative effort into the box, and though Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton didn’t catch it cleanly, she appeared to have palmed the ball away, but the assistant referee flagged that it had crossed the line and a goal was awarded.
Nilden continued to be the centre of attention with an own goal just before the break, but a stunning volley from Rytting Kaneryd in the 70th minute ensured she would grab most of the headlines.
Irrepressible on the right wing, she won a penalty minutes later that fellow winger Guro Reiten thumped off the left-hand post, but fullback Sandy Baltimore followed up to add Chelsea’s fourth.
Eveliina Summanen netted a late free kick for Spurs to make it 4-2, but Rytting Kaneryd had the last word with a brilliant solo raid that ended with a thunderous left-foot shot past Becky Spencer to make it 5-2 in second-half stoppage time.
Earlier on Sunday, interim Arsenal boss Renee Slegers steered her side to a 2-0 win over bottom team West Ham United, making the most of the 1-1 draw between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United on Saturday to keep in touch with the title-chasing group.
United and Brighton remain third and fourth respectively on 10 points, with the Gunners two points behind them in fifth.
An early goal for Leicester City gave them a 1-0 home win over second-from-bottom Everton, and Crystal Palace continued their good start to the season with a 1-1 draw away to Liverpool.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Toby Davis)
