LONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea’s Guro Reiten scored from the spot and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd got her first goal for the club as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 on Wednesday ahead of a top-of-the-table Women’s Super League clash with Manchester United on Sunday.
United, who top the standings on 35 points from 14 games, travel to Chelsea with a one-point lead, but the Blues have a game in hand and a victory for either side could give them a huge advantage as the title race hots up.
Norway international Reiten fired home a penalty low to the keeper’s right to give Chelsea the lead in the 12th minute after Sam Kerr was fouled in the box, and Jess Carter doubled the home side’s advantage nine minutes later.
Kerr fluffed her lines in the 67th minute, missing a great chance after Reiten threaded a beautiful ball through to her, but she made amends by setting up Rytting Kaneryd for a tap-in five minutes later, the Swede’s first goal for the Blues.
Outclassed in the first half, Brighton battled back in the second and though substitute Danielle Carter scored late on, the defeat leaves them second from bottom in the table on eight points, two ahead of Leicester City.
In the evening’s other game fourth-placed Arsenal, who beat Chelsea in the Women’s League Cup final on Sunday, cruised to a 2-0 win over Liverpool, with Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord netting the goals.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Toby Davis)
