For the fourth consecutive season, the Women's Super League (WSL) title race went down to the final day. And for the fourth time in a row, Chelsea emerged victorious and took home their fifth consecutive trophy, as legendary manager Emma Hayes bowed out in style.
Elsewhere, the top six (Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham) ran out winners to keep the WSL table unchanged from where it stood heading into the final day, while Lyon claimed another title more after the inaugural playoff final in France. .
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Chelsea triumph; Man United abysmal
There are few teams in the world as good at staying the course, getting through games and crossing the finish line as Emma Hayes' Chelsea. Going into the final match against Man United level on points with Man City, knowing that all they had to do was match or better their rivals' result to claim the title, the ball was always in the Blues' court. But they said goodbye in style with a 6-0 rout of United at Old Trafford.
With club record signing Mayra Ramirez virtually unstoppable as she recovered from injury to lead the attack (helping herself score two goals in a 4-0 first-half run), Chelsea looked relentlessly dominant and painfully clinical. The focus was always on them and outgoing coach Hayes in her last game before taking over the USWNT, but it's hard to escape how poor United were.
Yes, United's season was almost over (they had won the FA Cup last weekend and were facing an unlikely situation to take fourth place from Liverpool), but their defense offered little resistance and was completely overwhelmed by Chelsea from the opening stages. stages.
Having made a big step last season to lean on their defensive core and go toe-to-toe with the top three to finish second, this capitulation against the eventual champions was appalling and speaks to the extent to which United have regressed this season.
City loses its way in front of goal
City had a chance to win their first WSL title since 2016, but it was always going to take a Chelsea stumble or a big score to tip the balance on goal difference.
Gareth Taylor's attack, which had been so consistent this year, needed to be at its best in the Villa box but looked lost without injured WSL top scorer Bunny Shaw to lead the line. Mary Fowler's first goal could have opened the floodgates, but Villa's defense remained compact and with Anna Leat resolute between the sticks, City could not find the finishing touch to add the goals they needed.
Lauren Hemp finally found a winner to seal a 2-1 victory, but the title battle had already been lost based on events at Old Trafford. Unlike Chelsea, City don't have a history of bickering and fighting (the season they won the title was one in which they were unbeaten) and if they want the same kind of success that the men's team has found, they need to develop a Winning mentality.
Villa, for their part, withstood the visitors' pressure well, but were unable to give coach Carla Ward the farewell she deserved. The club has come a long way under his leadership in recent years but, with his successor yet to be announced, is heading into a period of uncertainty.
Arsenal finish on top
The Jonas Eidevall era at Arsenal has seen many good results and performances, as well as some trophies, but it has also been deeply inconsistent, one of the reasons why the Gunners finished in third place five points behind.
In a season that has seen record crowd growth for the London side and a Conti Cup title, Arsenal were rampaging in their final game, beating a dismal Brighton 5-0 in the club legend's final game. Vivianne Miedema club. It all went one way after Alessia Russo's first-half double and Miedema was able to score one last time at Borehamwood with his first touch after coming off the bench, before setting up Frida Maanum late on to remind everyone. quality.
Although it is clear that she is not in Eidevall's plans, the club and the coach have reached a possible crossroads. Questions have been raised as to why Arsenal were not interested in retaining the 27-year-old, who will peak after recovering from a long-term injury, next season and they will have to take some steps to close the gap. in the first two.
Brighton, meanwhile, have struggled after a summer of heavy hiring and investment and, following the sacking of Melissa Phillips in February, do not look calm under caretaker manager Mikey Harris. For a team that had lofty goals, it appears a need to go back to the drawing board if they want to compete at the highest level.
Liverpool cements fourth
Over the years, there have been many teams outside the reach of the traditional top three (Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City) but who struggled to finish in the top four, before falling back the following season. While Man United have consistently differentiated themselves from the rest, Liverpool are now well positioned to make it a five-horse race.
In just their second season in the WSL, Matt Beard's Reds had a strong campaign to finish fourth and their 4-0 victory over Leicester City showed as much about them as it did about their rivals. Leading early thanks to Sophie Román Haug, they did not find a cushion until after the hour mark, when Leanne Kiernan came on and scored a hat trick. There is still a long way to go for the Merseysiders to regularly challenge those above them, but their growth has been substantial.
The match also marked Leicester's eighth consecutive game without a win and, although relegation never really threatened the Foxes, it was a forgettable end to the season for a team with considerable potential. How they bounce back after Willie Kirk's firing in April could define the future of his tenure.
The Spurs achieve their first victory of the month
Following a disappointing FA Cup final defeat to Man United and a narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in midweek, it was key for Spurs to finish on a high in what has been a remarkable campaign. And, after a 3-1 win over West Ham United, it looks like many of the pieces are in place for manager Robert Vilahamn next season. Bethany England's half-volley in the fourth minute opened the scoring and after West Ham's equalizer they found a way to come back through Jess Naz, before Drew Spence scored the goal of the day with a rocket from distance. Sixth place and 31 points certainly feels like a success after last season's struggles against relegation saw them pick up 18.
For West Ham, penultimate, it is difficult to see the season positively. There have been improvements as Rehanne Skinner added some talent to the team, but with four coaches and six WSL campaigns under her belt, there is a question over her long-term sustainability in the top flight.
Candy deepens Robins' misery
Already relegated after a resounding return to the WSL that saw them finish with one win and six points in total, there was little Bristol City could do when Everton emerged with their shooting boots on to seal a 4-0 victory. It was a convincing victory for Brian Sørensen's team, with four different goalscorers, and a nod to what is possible under the Danish coach, whose hands have been tied by major injury problems all season.
But it was an unhappy punctuation mark at the end of a long season for Lauren Smith. The Robins are a warning to any promoted Championship side as the gulf between the two leagues appears to be growing.
Lyon wins its 17th title
France's Division 1 Féminine concluded on Friday with its first playoff final to decide the league winner. In the end there were few surprises, either over who was in the final (Lyon and PSG reached the semi-finals against fourth-placed Stade de Reims and third-placed Paris FC, respectively), or over Lyon's eventual 2-0 victory. -1.
It was the 17th time in 18 seasons that Lyon had lifted the title (PSG in 2021 was the only outlier), as Delphine Cascarino confirmed her return to form with the opening goal before former PSG star Kadidiatou Diani added a quick second. Tabitha Chawinga's goal in the second half gave PSG some hope, but Lyon did what they do so well and closed out the game.
For Lyon, the match may serve as a useful warm-up ahead of the Champions League final against Barcelona on Saturday night, although the Catalans will be a very different prospect to face.
