Chelsea beat Arsenal to go top of WSL and increase pressure on Jonas Eidevall

Chelsea moved to the top of the Women’s Super League with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium that increased the pressure on Gunners head coach Jonas Eidevall.

First-half goals from Mayra Ramirez and Sandy Baltimore ensured Sonia Bompastor’s side followed their midweek Champions League triumph over Real Madrid by making it three wins from three in the WSL.

Caitlin Foord brought Arsenal back into the game immediately before the break but Eidevall’s side were unable to conjure an equaliser.

Defeat capped a difficult seven days for the Gunners who were held to a scoreless stalemate by bottom club Everton before suffering a heavy 5-2 defeat at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

And with just one win from their opening four league games, this loss only added to the problems confronting Eidevall, although the Arsenal boss will draw positives from his side’s improved second-half display.

The Gunners came into this clash in desperate need of a lift but their hopes of bouncing back from their midweek disappointment were hit when they found them behind after just four minutes.

Ramirez quickly showed she was capable of testing the Arsenal backline with a strong run and shot that was deflected wide.

And the Chelsea forward took full advantage when the home defence failed to deal with the resulting corner, hooking a looping effort over her head and into the top corner.

Arsenal responded positively to falling behind, pressing forward without ever really managing to trouble the Chelsea backline.

But the task confronting Eidevall’s side increased after they were opened up far too easily when the visitors doubled their lead in the 15th minute.

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd worked the ball into space on the right before rolling the ball into the path of Lauren James who burst past two defenders before picking out Baltimore at the far post.

The Chelsea left-back was completely unmarked and headed home easily for her first Blues goal.

Arsenal were struggling to get to grips with Ramirez while Guro Reiten and James were also causing plenty of problems for Chelsea, who were watched from the stands by former boss Emma Hayes.

But the hosts improved as the first half progressed and halved the deficit when Foord struck two minutes before the interval.

The winger had posed a threat on the left throughout the first half and she boosted hopes of a comeback after working her way past Lucy Bronze and finishing from a tight angle.

Arsenal built on that momentum after the restart and Alessia Russo was denied when Millie Bright blocked the striker’s goal-bound shot.

But the Gunners continued to appear vulnerable on the break and it took a last-ditch challenge by Lotte Wubben-Moy to halt James shortly before home keeper Daphne Van Domselaar saved well from Chelsea substitute Aggie Beever-Jones.

Arsenal stepped up the pressure and came close to levelling when Stina Blackstenius struck the bar with a first-time effort.