Chelsea Women secured their place in this season's Women's Champions League but started their domestic campaign with a frustrating draw. The Blues qualified for Europe's elite competition on Wednesday before being held 1-1 by Aston Villa in their WSL opener on Saturday, as reported by ESPN Soccer.
How did Chelsea qualify for the Champions League?
Keira Walsh's second-half goal sealed a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in Spain, according to the BBC. That result gave Chelsea a 6-2 aggregate win in their play-off tie and booked their spot in Friday's league phase draw. Walsh, the England international, struck from distance nine minutes after the restart at Estadio Zubieta.
Manager Sonia Bompastor made four changes from the first leg, which Chelsea had won 5-2 at home. The victory means Chelsea will join Manchester City and Arsenal as England's representatives in the new Champions League format. You can track their European progress on our fixtures page.
What happened in the WSL opener against Aston Villa?
Chelsea's quest to reclaim the WSL title began with a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa. Lauren James gave the hosts an early lead in the 11th minute, as detailed by ESPN Soccer. Chelsea dominated possession and created numerous chances but failed to convert their superiority into more goals.
Their wastefulness proved costly when defensive miscommunication led to an equalizer. Villa's organized press forced an error that allowed them to level the match. It was the first time Villa have ever taken points off the eight-time WSL champions. The result leaves Chelsea with work to do early in a 24-game season.
Where does this leave Chelsea in the title race?
Finishing third last season with 49 points from 22 games, Chelsea ended the campaign six points behind champions Manchester City. Their final form read WWWWD, scoring 44 goals and conceding 20 for a +24 goal difference. That third-place finish earned them the Champions League play-off spot they successfully navigated this week.
The new WSL season promises to be highly competitive. Manchester City ended Chelsea's run of six consecutive titles last term, as noted in a season preview by The Athletic. The league has expanded and several clubs have strengthened, making the path back to the top more challenging. Current standings will show how the early results shape the table.
What is the immediate schedule for Chelsea?
Attention now turns to Friday's Champions League draw in Nyon. Chelsea will learn their six opponents for the league phase of a competition they have never won. Their next WSL fixture is yet to be confirmed as the season's full schedule unfolds.
Manager Sonia Bompastor, now in her third season, continues to shape the squad in her image after inheriting a team built by Emma Hayes. The French coach led Chelsea to a domestic treble in her first season but saw the title slip away last year. The team's squad page details the players available for the challenges ahead.
