Bompastor makes history as Chelsea beat Brighton 4-2: Five things we learned | OneFootball

Chelsea maintain their five-point lead at the top of the WSL table with a hard-fought 4-2 win against Brighton.

The Blues opened the scoring with the help of two generous Brighton errors, which lead to goals from Sjoeke Nusken and Aggie Beever-Jones. The Seagulls halved the deficit just before half-time through a beautifully curled effort into the top corner by former Blue, Jelena Cankovic.

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd restored Chelsea’s two-goal lead in the 51st minute after pouncing on the rebound from Lucy Bronze’s saved attempt. Dario Vidosic’s side did not give up and scored a second goal 20 minutes later through Kiko Seike, who capitalised on an error by goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.

Despite Brighton’s valiant attempt to get an equalizer, it was the league leaders who scored the crucial next goal, with Nusken scoring from a corner in the 90th minute.

Here are five things we learned from the game:

Bompastor makes history

Sonia Bompastor has been in charge of Chelsea for only 13 games and she has already broken a record set by the legendary Emma Hayes. Bompastor has won 13 games in a row in all competitions, exceeding Hayes’ club record 12 wins in a row set in the 2021/22 season. Despite winning every game, Bompastor maintains that her side can still improve and go up another level, which is a scary prospect for every team they come up against.

Free-scoring Chelsea

Chelsea have scored the most goals in the WSL this season, finding the back of the net 30 times in only nine games. The Blues are averaging over three goals per game in the league while only conceding five goals all season. The reigning WSL champions have also had the most number of unique goalscorers this season, with 13 different players getting on the scoresheet. This is testament to Bompastor’s management of the squad as a whole, as well the players on an individual level giving them the confidence to make an impact every time they have an opportunity to impress.

Kaneryd reaching superstar status

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd has been unplayable this season. She has already matched her WSL goal tally of four from last season, despite playing nine games fewer. The Swedish international has added a clinical edge to her game this season and has been a constant threat down Chelsea’s right flank. The 27-year-old is hitting her prime and it does not look like any team is going to be able to slow her down in the form that she is in.

Niamh Charles Returns

Niamh Charles made her long-awaited return to action after suffering a dislocated shoulder in a pre-season friendly against Feyenoord. Charles, who has been out of action since 7th September, came on at half-time for Ashley Lawrence and slotted in at left-back. The 25-year-old was one of the best left-backs in the world last season and was rewarded with a leadership role under former manager Hayes, captaining the side alongside Erin Cuthbert in Millie Bright’s absence. It will be interesting to see how the England international fights for her spot with new signing Sandy Baltimore, who has been exceptional since joining the Blues.

Coping without Kirby

The absence of Super Fran Kirby in Brighton’s attack was certainly visible as the Seagulls mainly relied on Chelsea’s mistakes to create their chances. The England international suffered a calf injury while on duty with the Lionesses and was spotted at Kingsmeadow on crutches. Kirby, who is Chelsea’s all-time highest goalscorer, will be disappointed to have missed her homecoming, especially considering the form she is in. Since moving to Brighton this summer, the 31-year-old magician has contributed four goals and two assists in nine games, and fans of both teams will be wishing her a speedy recovery.