Chelsea made it four league wins in a row on Sunday and, for a few hours at least, went top of the Women's Super League. West Ham were beaten 3-0 at the Chigwell Construction Stadium, and the scoreline might have been bigger if Chelsea had been sharper in front of goal for most of the afternoon.
Malard breaks the deadlock
For long stretches this was a one-way game that refused to produce goals. Sjoeke Nusken shot over from close range after Keira Walsh swung in a teasing ball across the box, and Kadeisha Buchanan sent a header off target. Walsh then crashed a shot against the post and dragged another effort wide. Chelsea were making chances and wasting them.
The breakthrough came in the 38th minute. Nusken was tackled in the penalty area, the ball broke to Melvine Malard, and she slotted it into the bottom corner. It was Malard's second WSL goal for Chelsea since her summer move from Manchester United, and it let the visitors play with a bit more freedom after the break.
Walsh gets her reward
The second arrived with ten minutes to play. Wieke Kaptein found Walsh on the edge of the area and the England midfielder hit the ball into the bottom corner. It was a fitting finish to a busy afternoon. Walsh had five shots, more than anyone else in blue, created three chances for team-mates and won six of her nine duels. Only one of her five efforts was on target, and that one counted.
Maika Hamano, making her first start of the season, then nodded home from close range to put the result beyond doubt. Sonia Bompastor's team had controlled the match from the start, but the scoreline only caught up with the play late on.
West Ham have a problem to solve
The Hammers did not register a single shot. That is a damning number even against a side as strong as Chelsea, and it came in their fourth defeat of the campaign. Manager Rita Guarino admitted her players need to keep the ball better, and said that when they win it they have to find space quicker. She also said it was not an easy thing to fix in the next few weeks, which sounded like a manager who knows the international break will not magically sort it out.
Bompastor was happy to talk about Walsh, saying the midfielder is playing a little higher up the pitch than last season and that her shooting is a real asset. England face Greece in their Women's World Cup qualifying play-offs later this month, so her form arrives at a useful time for club and country. Chelsea's stay on top was short-lived, though, because Manchester City went on to beat Arsenal later in the day and reclaimed first place.
Match facts: West Ham United 0-3 Chelsea, Women's Super League, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 4 October 2026. Chelsea: Malard (38th minute), Walsh (80th), Hamano (second half, exact minute not given by the BBC). West Ham had no shots. BBC Sport player of the match: Keira Walsh (8.20 average rating).
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