Chelsea give title hopes significant boost with huge victory over Bristol City | OneFootball

Chelsea have reignited their Barclays Women’s Super League title hopes following an 8-0 win over bottom club Bristol City at Kingsmeadow this evening.

A 4-3 defeat at Liverpool in midweek had left The Blues’ title hopes hanging by a thread but their huge victory over Bristol City this evening, combined with Manchester City’s 2-1 loss to Arsenal, has seen the race for pole position take another twist.

Chelsea got off to the perfect start against Bristol City when they were awarded a sixth-minute penalty. Guro Reiten stepped up and squeezed her shot beyond visiting keeper Fran Bentley into the bottom corner of the net.

Emma Hayes’ side continued to apply lots of attacking pressure throughout the early stages of the game and their dominance paid off again in the 23rd minute. Reiten’s corner kick reached the goal-line and Sjoeke Nüsken stretched her leg out to bundle the ball in, doubling her side’s lead.

Chelsea continued to carve out chances in the remainder of the first half but they were unable to build on their two-goal lead before the interval.

The South West Londoners continued their dominant display in the second half and they found a third goal in the 52nd minute when Aggie Beever-Jones completed a perfectly-timed run to meet a cross from Erin Cuthbert.

Reiten got her brace and Chelsea’s fourth goal just before the hour mark. The midfielder was given space to run and place her effort in off the far post.

With 20 minutes remaining, Reiten then completed her hat-trick after meeting a cross from Catarina Macário.

Following a Macário free-kick, Niamh Charles drove the ball past Bentley for goal number six before Reiten found her fourth of the night, striking a pinpoint effort into the far corner.

Beever-Jones netted her second goal from close range in the 88th minute to complete the 8-0 rout and leave Chelsea’s title hopes in a much stronger position.

Hayes’ side are likely to have to win both of their remaining matches at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United whilst maintaining their superior goal difference on title rivals Manchester City.