Sam Kerr and Niamh Charles both made their return for Chelsea on Sunday. Their contributions were felt in a dramatic victory over Aston Villa.
Blues Fight Back After Early Setback
Chelsea secured an impressive win against Aston Villa, continuing their unblemished record against the Midlands side. They have now won all 12 of their meetings in the Women’s Super League, both home and away. Villa’s three goals were more than they had managed in their previous 11 games against Chelsea combined.
The Blues showed resilience, securing three points after conceding the opening goal. This was the first time they had achieved this in a year, since beating Manchester City in March 2025.
Aston Villa took the lead within two minutes, highlighting the challenge ahead. Playing from behind against Villa is difficult, given their defensive capabilities and counter-attacking prowess. This was evident in the contrasting average positions of the two teams.
Chelsea responded with goals from Kerr, Naomi Girma and Lauren James. However, Villa’s counter-attacks saw them level the scores at 3-3 by half-time.
James and Nusken Shine in Attack
The second half saw Chelsea dominate, constantly attacking the Villa defence. Eventually, Sjoeke Nusken scored an 82nd-minute winner.
James and Nusken stood out, each contributing a goal and an assist. Nusken’s interventions proved vital for the Blues. She set up Kerr’s first-half equaliser before scoring the late winner herself.
- Nusken made six ball recoveries, the joint-highest of any outfield player.
- She also completed 28 passes in the final third, five more than anyone else.
Lauren James posed a constant threat to the Villa defence. Her six shots were the joint-highest for a Chelsea player in the WSL this season. She also created six chances, her best return in a year.
Those numbers were the highest in the match. As were her 14 crosses – more than twice as many as anyone else – one of which produced the Girma goal.
Chelsea’s scoring form continues, having now registered in their sixth consecutive WSL game.