The celebrations were for real this time, as Chelsea seized their moment of history. They left it late, just as you knew they would, an undefeated Women’s Super League season coming down to the final minutes against a resolute Liverpool. But Chelsea did not hold on for the 0-0 draw that would have secured an ‘Invincible’ season. Instead, they attacked, and as Aggie Beever-Jones raced through on goal and thrashed a shot inside the near post another milestone was secured for the champions and Sonia Bompastor, who was left soaked after being doused in water by her players.
It was official: in the WSL, Chelsea have gone to another level under the French coach in her debut season in charge, reaching 60 points for the first time as well as becoming the first team to go unbeaten in a 22-game campaign. In the 91st minute, Beever-Jones fired Chelsea ahead of the previous highest points total, of the 58 points won by Emma Hayes’ team two years ago. It was only then that Chelsea knew they would not lose, as Stamford Bridge erupted and Beever-Jones raced away while Erin Cuthbert collapsed to the pitch in relief.
Chelsea had kept pushing, with Bompastor determined to crown the title with a win. She has taken over a trophy machine left by Hayes and elevated the standards even higher, sharpening their focus and adding to a winning culture . “I’m only about titles,” Cuthbert revealed. “But Sonia said she’s after the records, so so am I.” “To be unbeaten, makes it more special,” Bompastor said. “We’ll be part of history.”
A sixth title in a row for Chelsea and first in England for Bompastor had been confirmed with the win at Manchester United two weeks ago. Regardless of Chelsea’s result, the afternoon was always going to be filled with fireworks, champagne and blue ribbons on the trophy.
But until Beever-Jones’ strike there had been nerves, anxiety and, yes, some jeopardy at last for a title-winning season that has felt inevitable for months. Liverpool had hung around to make it tense, forcing Chelsea to go through the gears. With the game goalless late on, Liverpool captain Taylor Hinds had stood over a free-kick and curled her shot just over the crossbar.
The introduction of Cuthbert and Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd at half time was key. Bompastor had started with a back three for the first time in the league but reverted to Chelsea’s usual system at the break, throwing on more forwards in Guro Reiten and Catarina Macario and adding Ashley Lawrence in search of the winner. The momentum had finally turned and was only going in one direction. “Liverpool came with a game plan and defended really well,” Cuthbert said. “We just had to keep at it, use the momentum. We run them down.”
It was fitting the tireless Beever-Jones was the match-winner, the lifelong Chelsea supporter and academy graduate scoring her ninth of the season to make her the club’s top goalscorer in the WSL. “It’s a nice story,” Bompastor said. “Aggie is a symbol, a perfect example.”
“I always felt a goal was coming,” the 21-year-old forward said. “The ball came and I remember thinking, ‘this is it’”. It owed to the pass from Lawrence, who stepped in cleverly before finding the line-breaking pass that Chelsea had searched for all afternoon. There was the belief they would find it. Late goals have been a theme of the second half of their season. “Today showed immense pride in Chelsea,” Beever-Jones added. “We never give up.”
No one has been able to match Chelsea this season. Certainly not from the start, when Chelsea entered a new era following the departure of Hayes after 12 years. When there could have been uncertainty under a new coach, Chelsea continued where they had left off: they started their title defence with nine wins in a row and didn’t look back.
But it did not come without challenges. Bompastor has made the transition seamless but it was anything but and she dedicated the title to her family and young children after arriving from Lyon in the summer. They joined her on the pitch and added to an emotional afternoon.
“When you take the decision as a manager to move country it is not just about me, it was also about them,” Bompastor said. “It was difficult in the beginning but everyone in the club helped us to settle in London and that is also a big part of the success. To see my kids enjoying these moments, it is the best thing that can happen in life.”
Despite that, Bompastor has always demanded more. The French coach is already looking ahead to next season and the steps she believes Chelsea need to take. “The thing is, which is difficult to believe, we still have a lot of room to improve,” she admitted. There has been no hiding away from the fact that Chelsea were outclassed by Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals and there will be a little bit of pressure next season to show the gulf to the best team on the continent is not getting any bigger.
Chelsea have left no doubt domestically, though. Among the records her side have set this season, winning home and away against the rest of the WSL’s top four clubs was one that stood out for Bompastor. The away wins at Manchester City, which came amid a gruelling four-game mini series between the teams in March, and Manchester United, to wrap up the title just days after the crushing defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, underlined their relentlessness over 22 games.
“We’ve been unbeaten in the season, that is a really great achievement because every game was tough, even though for some people that is difficult to believe,” Bompastor said. “Even today we found the goal in the last minute to win.” The season could finish with an unbeaten domestic Treble, too, should they beat Manchester United at Wembley next week to reclaim the FA Cup. “We still have one more game and it’s a really important one,” Bompastor said. But they will always remember this.
