Johanna Rytting Kaneryd's first-half goal was enough to secure Chelsea a 1-0 win over Aston Villa, getting Sonia Bompastor off to a winning start in the Women's Super League. (More Football News)
In a tightly contested tie that could have gone either way, the reigning champions showed their quality to earn the first three points of the WSL season.
Missy Bo Kearns almost got the first goal of Robert de Pauw's reign at Villa 13 minutes in, but was narrowly wide of netting on her debut, while Guro Reiten narrowly missed two glorious chances for the hosts.
Kaneryd scored the winner in the 36th minute – it looked like she had overrun the ball, but she expertly cut back inside to whip a lovely shot past Sabrina D'Angelo into the back of the net.
Villa made a lightning-quick start to the second half, with Kenza Dali's early cross being met by Rachel Daly, but her looping header only rattled Hannah Hampton's crossbar.
The visitors then had two brilliant opportunities to level the score in stoppage time, but Hampton superbly defended her clean sheet, first denying Daly before tipping D'Angelo's header onto the crossbar.
Data Debrief: Off to a flyer
Chelsea's game against Aston Villa is the first time they have played a game in the WSL without Emma Hayes in the dugout since July 2012 (a 4-2 loss under Matt Beard).
Bompastor ensured the reigning champions got off to a winning start though, maintaining their 100% record against Villa by stretching their run to nine wins in a row.
In the opposite dugout, though De Pauw is still waiting for his first win and goal in charge of the Villans, he did get a small slice of history, becoming the first Dutch manager to manage a game in the WSL.
