Sonia Bompastre expected more efficiency from her team after their 1-0 win over Aston Villa on the opening day of the Women's Super League season. At Crystal Palace, she did just that, ensuring there was no chance of late nerves in a huge 7-0 win.
“In a high-level game, when you can't get the second goal, it just gives the opponent confidence,'' Bompastre said after the defeat to Villa, and that goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo had tested Hanna. Ta. Hampton until late. It took Chelsea until the end of the first half to take the lead against newly promoted Palace, but the second goal came soon after, with Lucie Bronze scoring her first goal in a Chelsea shirt and Palace narrowly winning. My confidence has definitely increased. I was crushed. Later, Lauren James added the third, Guro Leiten the fourth, Natalie Bjorn the fifth, Leiten the sixth, and Katarina Macario the seventh.
It was a great turnout for Selhurst Park's WSL debut, with 5,003 fans providing a lively atmosphere for the title holders' visit.
After the 4-0 defeat to Tottenham, Palace manager Laura Kaminski made two changes, both of which are now enforced, with Brooke Aspin and Lexi Potter disqualified from visiting their parent club, with the former also unable to feature. He was suspended. In their place, the first starts were entrusted to summer recruits Lily Woodham and Ann Mai Kato.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have Aggie Beaver-Jones, James and Bjorn all back in the starting lineup. Coach Bompastre was full of praise for his opponent Kaminski ahead of the south London side's encounter. “I watched the game against Tottenham,” she said. “It was a tough result, but I felt it didn't reflect our performance.”
There were some bright spots against Tottenham, but there was a lot to fix, and the first half against Chelsea was far more impressive. Palace focused and practiced well, employing a back five to soak up the pressure, but were also tenacious in possession, letting down the slowness of thinking and physical inferiority characteristic of teams rising to the top division. India-Paige Riley pounced on a loose pass from Hampton and nearly gave her a shock lead, forcing a save that would have left the goalie red-handed.
It took 38 minutes for the champion to break through, but it was a terrible punch. Frith Gibbons was unable to get on the edge of the ball going through the middle at one end and Chelsea punished them. Looking for the ball from the back, she found Joanna Ritting-Canellid, who scored last week, on the right, and she pulled the ball back for Beaver Jones to shoot. in.
However, the home team could not get out of the situation and it became a close game just before the break. The ball went over the edge of the box and as the crowd shouted for each player to shoot, Riley's ball was flicked towards goal by Annabelle Blanchard. It spilled outside the far post.
Opportunities to play against champions are rare, so you have to make the most of them. Instead, the visiting team were able to extend their lead and enjoy a less tense second half than against Villa. The second goal came three minutes after the restart. Palace were unable to clear Ashley Lawrence's cross and the ball fell gently to Bronze, who came in from the right, scoring into the far corner for the first time with his wide foot.
After newsletter promotion
Palace's resolve was faltering and their legs were tired, but Chelsea's third goal did not take long. Beaver-Jones fed substitute Maira Ramírez, who sent a low cross into the front of the goal for James.
The visiting team's fourth goal was similar to the first, with Palace closing in on one goal and just after Katie Stengel's shot wide of goal, Macario found Vike Kaptein at the other end and this Reiten flicked on and called back.
The fifth goal came from a corner kick, Macario's shot went past everyone, Björn scored at the back post ahead of defender Catherine Véger, Leiten scored her second in the sixth, and Macario scored in the second half. He took a shot and scored his seventh goal.
In the end it was much more comfortable for Chelsea than the first half had suggested. However, there is a huge difference between the WSL and the Championship, and it takes time to develop top-level mental pace and physical strength. Promotional teams don't really have time. Palace have work to do, but their record against the top three will not be the measure of their season's success.
