Chelsea Women secure spot in League Cup final: five talking points
Chelsea booked their place in the Subway Women’s League Cup final with a 2-0 win over West Ham.
The Blues dominated the London derby from start to finish and will face the winner between Arsenal and Manchester City in the final.
A quickfire double from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Sjoeke Nusken in the 20th and 29th minutes respectively gave Chelsea the lead going into half-time.
Sonia Bompastor’s side failed to add another goal in the second-half, but displayed a level of control you would only expect from the only remaining unbeaten team in Europe’s top five women’s football leagues.
Here are five talking points from the game:
Another Cup Final for Chelsea
The Blues qualified for their sixth consecutive Women’s League Cup final, making history once again. No other side has appeared in more than five consecutive finals since the competition’s inception in 2011.
Despite their impressive record, the Blues have lost the last three finals in this competition and will be looking to redeem themselves this time around. It has taken Bompastor just six months to reach her first final with Chelsea, and the new manager will be looking to capitalize on the opportunity to get her hands on her first piece of silverware with the Blues.
Walsh makes her first Chelsea start
Keira Walsh made her first start for Chelsea after switching sunny Barcelona for the Women’s Super League champions. The England international was signed for a reported £400,000, making her the fifth most expensive women’s footballer of all time.
The 27-year-old brings a wealth of experience and a calm, creative head in midfield, a combination the Blues have lacked in the centre of the pitch since the departure of Melanie Leupolz and the season-ending injury to Sophie Ingle.
Walsh dictated the tempo of the game from the middle of the park, displaying full control over the midfield alongside her partner on the night, Nusken. This is just a taste of what Blues fans can expect from the technical midfielder moving forward.
Hampton looks up to the task
Earlier this week, Chelsea goalkeeper Zecira Musovic announced the happy news that she is pregnant, invariably ruling her out for the rest of the season. Chelsea signed 20-year-old goalkeeper Femke Liefting from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar as a replacement, but it is yet to be seen if she will end up playing any first-team minutes this season.
This puts a lot of pressure on first-choice keeper Hannah Hampton, who is still only 24 herself. She has been in spectacular form since making her first start for the Blues in December 2023, and has established herself as the undisputed number one goalkeeper.
However, she now faces a new challenge ahead of her as she is likely to be tasked with starting every remaining meaningful game of the season, a challenge she looks ready for.
Nusken ready to battle Walsh
Sjoeke Nusken enjoyed a breakout season with Chelsea last season which saw her finish 25th in the 2024 Ballon D’Or rankings. The German international has continued her fine form this season, establishing herself as a nailed-on starter alongside Chelsea vice-captain Erin Cuthbert.
The arrival of Walsh poses a new challenge for Nusken, who will now be competing for minutes with one of the finest midfielders in women’s football history. The 24-year-old midfielder’s versatility, dynamism, and eye for goal means that she is ready for that battle.
With Chelsea competing in four different competitions, there will still be plenty of opportunities for Nusken to impress.
Bompastor’s dream start continues
Chelsea extended their unbeaten start under Bompastor to 22 games in all competitions. The French manager has made the task of succeeding Emma Hayes look like a piece of cake so far.
Her side are already seven points clear at the top of the Women’s Super League table, and with the additions of Walsh and Naomi Girma to the star-studded side, it is hard to predict when the Blues will suffer their first defeat of the season, if at all they ever will.
