Chelsea beat Brighton to move level with leaders-ZoomTech News

Summer season signing Sjoeke Nusken scored twice as Chelsea got here from behind to beat Brighton & Hove Albion at Kingsmeadow and draw stage on factors with Girls’s Tremendous League leaders Manchester Metropolis.

Sam Kerr arrange two of Chelsea’s objectives after the restart, permitting former Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Nusken to curve in as a part of a fast counter-attack and sending in a cross which Brighton defender Guro Bergsvand poked residence.

Nusken punished defensive slackness to provide the move for substitute Aggie Beever-Jones to comb in a late fourth, embellishing Chelsea’s 18th successive residence victory earlier than Elisabeth Terland scored her fourth Brighton purpose of the season within the ninetieth minute.

Fran Kirby struck the crossbar twice with first-half pictures as a part of a Chelsea attacking show that includes 30 makes an attempt at purpose – essentially the most of any workforce in a WSL match this season.

Brighton goalkeeper Baggaley responded impressively, making a succession of impressed saves behind a defence who often carried out last-ditch heroics to forestall their opponents from scoring sooner.

Albion have now misplaced three successive league matches since their opening-day win at Everton, leaving them three factors away from the foot of the desk and 4 shy of the highest half.

Chelsea, who’re on an 11-game unbeaten run within the high flight, are subsequent in motion once they go to Aston Villa on 4 November, whereas Brighton host Manchester United the next day.

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With on-loan Belgium goalkeeper Nicky Evrard not concerned for Brighton in opposition to her guardian membership, Baggaley proved why she was an astute signing from Manchester United in September by making seven saves earlier than the break.

The previous back-up to England’s Mary Earps noticed Kirby’s curling sixth-minute effort wobble the woodwork, then denied Kerr from a one-on-one and clawed the ball away with the Australian worldwide poised to pounce on the road.

Kirby hit the crossbar once more as a part of a quickfire flurry of probabilities, and Maria Thorisdottir hacked a clearance off the road as Brighton held on till Carter discovered Nusken unmarked to supply reduction for the reigning champions in first-half added time.

Baggaley initially thwarted Chelsea after the restart, saving from Rytting Kaneryd after the substitute had skipped by way of and skimmed in a harmful drive, however Brighton – scorers in all eight of their final WSL away video games – retained a risk.

Albion’s win at Chelsea in 2021 makes them the one league aspect to have crushed Emma Hayes’ workforce at residence since January 2019, and Bremer twice examined Ann-Katrin Berger, whereas Niamh Charles alertly diverted a Robinson supply behind to forestall the hosts from equalising.

Ultimately, although, Chelsea’s strain advised. Nusken gave them the lead as a part of an incisive transfer to ease any fears that the holders’ lengthy successful residence run would come to an finish and price them floor on Metropolis, who gained at Leicester on Saturday to grow to be the leaders after 4 video games.

Nusken will really feel a bit of unfortunate to not have had a hat-trick with Bergsvand having being dominated to have had the ultimate contact on Chelsea’s third purpose, and the 22-year-old unselfishly assisted for Beever-Jones when Brighton surrendered possession by way of wayward passing on the again.

Second-bottom Villa, who’re but to earn a degree this season, and third-bottom Everton now await Chelsea earlier than their Champions League marketing campaign begins at Actual Madrid on 15 November. On this way, something lower than most factors from these video games can be a shock.