Chelsea beaten by Arsenal in WSL opener

Defending champions Chelsea were beaten 3-2 by Arsenal in their opening Women’s Super League match of the season.

Erin Cuthbert levelled on the stroke of half-time at the Emirates Stadium after Vivianne Miedema had put Arsenal ahead.

But Beth Mead scored twice for the Gunners in the space of 11 second-half minutes and Chelsea were unable to find another equaliser after Pernille Harder’s header reduced the deficit.

It was a successful first league game in charge for new Gunners manager Jonas Eidevall, as his side gave an early indication that they could be more solid title contenders this year.

It took 14 minutes for Miedema to get off the mark, as the lethal Dutch forward ran on to Katie McCabe’s superb pass down the left before cutting inside and scoring at the near post.

Debutant Maya Iwabuchi then had a golden chance to double Arsenal’s lead when she scooped Mead’s cut-back well over the bar.

Chelsea were then level just before half-time when a loose ball ran for Melanie Leupolz, who helped the ball right for Cuthbert to fire home with a first-time effort.

The Gunners were ahead again, however, four minutes into the second half, as Mead ran on to Miedema’s pass before unleashing a brilliant strike that gave Ann-Katrin Berger no chance.

The same combination almost created a third for Arsenal, as Mead was again put through by Miedema, with Berger this time making a good block.

But it was 3-1 after an hour, as Mead beat Berger to Iwabuchi’s through ball before keeping her nerve and rolling into an empty net.

The Blues quickly got back in the game, with Pernille Harder thumping in a header from Cuthbert’s cross, but they couldn’t force an equaliser in the time that remained.

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