WSL: Chelsea hands Manchester City first loss of season to go top of table; United beats Crystal Palace

Chelsea's Sandy Baltimore celebrates after scoring her side’s first goal during the Women’s Super League match against Manchester City. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Chelsea handed champion Manchester City its first defeat of the Women’s Super League season on Saturday, beating its title rival 1-0 ​to climb above it into the top spot in the table.

Chelsea has 26 points ‌from 10 matches, one ahead of second-placed City after 10 games.

The ​decisive moment came in first-half stoppage time when Sandy Baltimore ⁠produced a moment of brilliance, collecting a pass on the right side of the penalty area before turning and rifling an unstoppable shot above goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.

“I think ‌just the intensity is a lot better,” Chelsea midfielder Keira Walsh told the BBC. “And you could see today, I think we ‌started a bit slow, but after that most first and second ‌balls were ours, and I think that’s what wins you games,” she added.

City’s ⁠hopes of preserving its unbeaten record suffered a further blow in the 75th minute when Yamashita was sent off after racing well outside her area and clattering Alyssa Thompson as the ​Chelsea forward ran through on ‌goal.

Eartha Cumings replaced her as City played the closing stages with 10 players. Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones struck the crossbar with a free kick in the second half but the host held on for the victory.

“I think (top spot) ‌is kind of what Chelsea have been used to for so ​long but, yeah, it’s a nice feeling,” Walsh said.

“We’re in a better place than we were last year; it’s a ⁠good feeling. We’ve got one more game before the international break, and we need to finish strong, but we’re in a good place, we’re confident, and ‌the team’s really happy,” she added.

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Chelsea next hosts Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Manchester United continued its solid start with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace with goals from captain Maya Le Tissier and Elisabeth Terland.

Le Tissier celebrated her 150th United appearance in memorable fashion in the 18th minute, stepping out from defence to win possession before unleashing a superb long-range ‌effort into the bottom corner of the net.

United sealed the points in the 65th ​when Jess Park collected her second assist of the afternoon, threading a precise pass into the box for Terland, who calmly ⁠beat the goalkeeper for her third WSL goal of the season.

The win leaves ⁠United provisionally fourth on 18 points. Tottenham Hotspur is fifth after a 0-0 draw with Everton, which is seventh.

Meanwhile, Liverpool leapfrogged Brighton & Hove ‌Albion into eighth place after a 3-0 victory, with Beata Olsson scoring in each half and Cornelia Kapocs bagging the Reds’ other goal. Brighton is ninth and trails Liverpool only on goal difference.