Chelsea's Women's Champions League Victory Over Twente: Sonia Bompastor's Perfect Start as Head Coach

Chelsea's women's team secured a comfortable 3-1 victory over Twente in the UEFA Women's Champions League, maintaining their perfect record under new head coach Sonia Bompastor. The win marks their second victory of the group stage and continues Bompastor's undefeated run since taking charge of the Blues. Goals from Aggie Beever-Jones, Maika Hamano, and a penalty from Guro Reiten gave Chelsea a strong lead before Nikee van Djik scored a late consolation goal for Twente.

Strong Start From Chelsea

Chelsea's dominance was clear from the outset, as they imposed themselves on the Dutch champions with a high level of confidence and energy. It took just seven minutes for Chelsea to find the back of the net, as 21-year-old Aggie Beever-Jones opened the scoring. The young forward was teed up by Canadian defender Kadeisha Buchanan and unleashed a shot from just outside the box. Although her effort was deflected, it was enough to beat Twente's goalkeeper Olivia Clark, rewarding Chelsea for their aggressive start.

England's national team manager, Sarina Wiegman, was in attendance, likely keeping an eye on Beever-Jones as she continues to impress with her development. The goal set the tone for the match, with Chelsea firmly in control, and Twente struggling to create any significant chances.

Hamano’s Audacious Lob

Just 11 minutes later, Maika Hamano doubled Chelsea’s lead in spectacular fashion. Spotting Twente’s goalkeeper off her line, Hamano took a bold shot from range, lobbing the ball perfectly into the back of the net. This goal not only demonstrated Hamano’s vision and composure but also reflected the level of control Chelsea had over the match. The Japanese forward, who was making her first start of the season, was clinical in her decision-making and execution.

Twente, on the other hand, struggled to get into the game. Their inability to create any meaningful chances in the first half allowed Chelsea to comfortably maintain their two-goal lead as the teams headed into the break.

Penalty Seals the Deal

The second half saw Chelsea continue their dominance, with Bompastor making key substitutions to rotate her squad. Mayra Ramirez replaced Johanna Rytting-Kaneryd and immediately made an impact. Her skillful footwork drew a foul from Twente defender Lieske Carleer inside the penalty area, prompting referee Maria Caputi to point to the spot.

Guro Reiten, who had come off the bench, calmly converted the penalty, sending the Twente goalkeeper the wrong way and extending Chelsea’s lead to 3-0. With the match seemingly beyond Twente’s reach, Chelsea looked set for a straightforward victory.

Late Consolation for Twente

Despite Chelsea’s dominance, they allowed Twente to grab a late consolation goal. Against the run of play, Ella Peddemors delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Nikee van Djik, who fired past Chelsea goalkeeper Zecira Musovic. Although the goal did little to change the outcome of the match, it provided a rare highlight for the Dutch side, who had struggled to find any rhythm throughout the game.

Chelsea’s Position in the Group

The victory places Chelsea at the top of Group B in the Women's Champions League, having secured six points from their first two matches. Their strong performances in the group stage reflect the team’s depth and quality, which will be key as they continue their European campaign. The win also keeps Chelsea’s overall winning streak intact, as they remain undefeated this season under Bompastor’s leadership.

Looking ahead, Chelsea will face Tottenham Hotspur in the Women’s Super League (WSL) on Sunday. The match, set to be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football, offers Chelsea an opportunity to extend their perfect start to the domestic season.

Bompastor’s Reflections on the Match

Speaking to the club’s official website after the match, Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor expressed her satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly in the first half. “I’m really happy with the first half,” Bompastor said. “We started the game strongly and were efficient, scoring quickly. We saw some good movement from the players.”

Bompastor highlighted the importance of securing the three points, which solidified Chelsea’s position at the top of their Champions League group. She also praised the depth of her squad, noting that the ability to rotate players while still maintaining a high level of performance is a testament to the quality within the team. “It just shows how much quality there is in the group, and how much I trust everyone in the group,” she said.

Bompastor also took the opportunity to rotate her players, allowing some to rest ahead of the crucial WSL match against Tottenham. She emphasized the importance of managing the squad’s workload, especially given the intensity of the fixtures in both domestic and European competitions.

Injury Concern for Lauren James

One notable absence from the starting lineup was Lauren James, who was replaced by Kaneryd just before kickoff. Bompastor revealed that James felt discomfort in her foot during the warm-up, which led to the last-minute change. “In the last moment of warm-up, she felt something in her foot,” Bompastor explained. She added that it was too early to determine the extent of the injury, and that James would be assessed once the team returned to London.

Analysis: Chelsea’s Winning Formula Under Bompastor

Sky Sports' William Bitibiri analyzed Chelsea’s performance, noting that while the team’s play under Bompastor is not yet flawless, the results have been impressive. Bompastor has called for more dominant displays from her side, and the victory over Twente showcased some of the attacking intensity she wants to instill in the team.

“Bompastor made seven changes to the Chelsea side, and they still didn’t have to reach top gear to beat the Dutch champions,” Bitibiri observed. Despite the rotation, Chelsea’s squad depth allowed them to maintain control throughout the match. With Bompastor’s tactical adjustments starting to take effect, Chelsea are beginning to look like a formidable force in both domestic and European competition.

Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea continues to thrive, with another commanding performance in the Women’s Champions League. The 3-1 win over Twente not only kept their perfect record intact but also highlighted the depth and quality within the squad. As they prepare for their upcoming WSL match against Tottenham, Chelsea will look to maintain their momentum and continue their unbeaten run across all competitions.