Soccer Football - Women's Super League - Chelsea v Arsenal - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - March 15, 2024 Arsenal's Kim Little in action with Chelsea's Erin Cuthbert Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
LONDON (Reuters) -Leaders Chelsea scored first-half goals to beat third-placed Arsenal 3-1 with a Lauren James strike and Sjoeke Nusken double on Friday as they moved three points clear atop the Women's Super League after the kickoff was delayed due to a kit clash.
The win before Chelsea's record WSL home crowd of 32,970 puts them on 40 points ahead of Manchester City, who visit Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, and six clear of Arsenal.
The start was put back half an hour after Arsenal turned up with the same white-coloured socks as Chelsea, prompting the Gunners to take a trip to the hosts' souvenir store to buy dark replacements, covering up the Chelsea logo with tape.
When the game did get going James scored after 15 minutes, slowing her run and then accelerating again before blasting a shot at Manuela Zinsberger and, though the Arsenal keeper managed to block the ball it still spun into the goal.
The Blues doubled their lead six minutes later when Nusken steered home a long-range effort from Erin Cuthbert and the German international got her second when Johanna Rytting Kaneryd's shot deflected off her heel into the net.
Zinsberger pulled off a string of fine saves in the second half but Arsenal struggled to create opportunities until Kim Little's strike deflected off Chelsea substitute Catarina Macario for an own goal in the 86th minute.
Chelsea coach Emma Hayes praised her injury-hit squad for the way they handled the match.
"We've been depleted. We had to play Lauren James as a centre-forward today and she did a tremendous job but this is about the whole team and it's an amazing effort from everyone," she told the BBC.
Midfielder Little was disappointed but not ready to write off Arsenal's title chances with six games left to play.
"Chelsea are obviously in the driving seat but we go into these games and give it everything we've got to give it a small chance," she told Sky Sports.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)
