Match ends, Chelsea Ladies 6, Liverpool Ladies 3.
Chelsea WomenChelsea Women6Liverpool WomenLiverpool Women3
Chelsea Ladies won a nine-goal thriller at home to Liverpool Ladies to maintain their 100% winning start to the Women's Super League One season.
After Katie Zelem's first-minute opener for Liverpool, goals from Karen Carney, Fran Kirby, Drew Spence and Eniola Aluko put Chelsea 4-1 up at half-time.
Caroline Weir and Emma Lundh's second-half strikes gave the visitors hope.
But Kirby and Spence both added goals to restore the three-goal lead and keep pressure on leaders Manchester City.
Zelem, who netted twice in Liverpool's 3-2 loss at Notts County last time out, stunned the defending champions with a fine strike from range in the early stages.
But the floodgates opened after England winger Carney rounded the goalkeeper to level and the scoreline could have been bigger as Carney struck the crossbar with a free-kick late on.
Chelsea - who won 2-1 at Liverpool in their previous match - remain second, three points behind first-placed City, who have played a game more.
Emma Hayes' side face Arsenal in the Women's FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday, looking to defend the trophy they won for the first time last season.
Chelsea Ladies midfielder Drew Spence: "It was a bit like a basketball match, the way the goals were going in for both sides. I was pleased with my two goals.
"But we're disappointed we didn't manage the game better after coming from behind to go 4-1 in front by half-time. We've got to learn how to not concede before we turn on the gas.
"That's something for us to work on in training this week in the build up to the FA Cup final.
"We beat Arsenal 2-0 in the league recently but we can't have any complacency because of that, it's going to be a tough game."
Liverpool Ladies midfielder Caroline Weir: "Scoring three goals is fine, but if you concede six you can't expect anything out of a game.
"We made too many defensive errors and that's just not good enough against a team as good as Chelsea.
"This is a tough place to come, but it was so disappointing for us after making a great start with a brilliant goal by Katie Zelem.
"We conceded some poor goals after taking the lead, and going in at half-time 4-1 down we knew that wasn't good enough."
Line-ups
Chelsea Women
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lindahl
- 3Blundell
- 4Bright
- 5Flaherty
- 11Rafferty
- 24SpenceBooked at 90mins
- 17Chapman
- 9AlukoSubstituted forDavisonat 66'minutes
- 10JiSubstituted forBorgesat 74'minutes
- 8Carney
- 14KirbySubstituted forEnglandat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Davison
- 12Spencer
- 15England
- 16Borges
- 25Bailey
- 26Rafferty
Liverpool Women
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Chamberlain
- 7Longhurst
- 5Bonner
- 4van den BergBooked at 90mins
- 22GreenwoodSubstituted forLundhat 55'minutes
- 13WhiteSubstituted forHodsonat 71'minutes
- 6Ingle
- 20Zelem
- 11Van de Sanden
- 10Weir
- 40HardingSubstituted forPachecoat 54'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Lundh
- 12Gibbons
- 21Green
- 33Pacheco
- 36Hodson
- 44Murray
- Referee:
- Antony Coggins
- Attendance:
- 2,406
Match Stats
Home TeamChelsea WomenAway TeamLiverpool Women
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home30
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home15
- Away5
- Corners
- Home4
- Away8
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea Ladies 6, Liverpool Ladies 3.
Booking
Drew Spence (Chelsea Ladies) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Drew Spence (Chelsea Ladies).
Post update
Katie Zelem (Liverpool Ladies) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Mandy van den Berg (Liverpool Ladies) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Ana Borges (Chelsea Ladies) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Mandy van den Berg (Liverpool Ladies).
Post update
Corner, Liverpool Ladies. Conceded by Gilly Flaherty.
Post update
Attempt missed. Bethany England (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Gemma Davison.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Emma Lundh (Liverpool Ladies) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
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Corner, Liverpool Ladies. Conceded by Gemma Davison.
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Attempt blocked. Shanice Van de Sanden (Liverpool Ladies) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Liverpool Ladies. Conceded by Claire Rafferty.
Post update
Attempt saved. Drew Spence (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Karen Carney.
Post update
Attempt missed. Bethany England (Chelsea Ladies) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Karen Carney with a cross following a set piece situation.
Post update
Hannah Blundell (Chelsea Ladies) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Katie Zelem (Liverpool Ladies).
Post update
Attempt missed. Bethany England (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Gemma Davison.
Post update
Attempt missed. Bethany England (Chelsea Ladies) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Hannah Blundell.
