With the World Cup underway in Qatar, domestic leagues around the globe have taken a break.
Well, that is a slightly incorrect statement. The correct version is: All Men’s domestic leagues have taken a break. Women are still playing competitively and their leagues are in full flow.
One of these, and perhaps one of the most high profile of all, is WSL, or the Women’s Super League, the pinnacle of the female football pyramid in England.
And this, like its male counterpart this season, is getting competitive at the top of the table. Chelsea currently sits atop with 24 points after 9 games, with Manchester United and Arsenal three points off the leaders but with a game in hand.
At the bottom sit Leicester City, with 0 points after 9 games, and above them and seven points clear are Brighton and Reading.
This week’s fixture saw the opposite ends of the table meet.
The Foxes entertained the London club hoping to make an upset and kickstart their campaign. Alas, it did not go as they planned. Not even close.
Chelsea thrashed LCFC 8-0. Embarrassing.
Not so much for Chelsea and their players though, who must have thoroughly enjoyed it.
One player to particularly stand out for the Blues was Guro Reiten, who scored one and assisted four.
The left winger joined Chelsea in 2019 and has played 99 times for the club so far, with the latest one perhaps the best of them all.
The Norwegian opened the scoring in the 4th minute and set the tone for herself and her teammates for the evening.
She then teed up Jessie Fleming, doubling her side’s lead. In fact, Reiten then proceeded to set up the next goal for Kirby and the one after that for Charles.
But perhaps the best assist of all was the last one when she played a perfect weight pass for striker Sam Kerr.
After receiving the ball on the left side of the opposition half, Guro took a couple of touches, saw what runs her teammates were taking, and played a sumptuous pass into the box for Kerr, who did not have to break stride and finished with just one touch past Lambourne, Leicester’s keeper.
Half-time, 5-0, game done.
With the match wrapped up after the sixth goal by Fleming, Emma Hayes, the manager, subbed out the key players to give them a rest.
The match ended with two more goals, one each by Bethany England and Fran Kirby, to further outline Chelsea’s title intentions.
So many goals but it was *that* pass from Reiten that has Twitter raving.
Nominated for November’s player of the month, performances like these will only strengthen her claim for such awards.
Reiten is only 3 behind the all-time WSL record for assists. Only 9 games in.
Fans would be hoping the Norwegian can carry on with her record-breaking performances and lead her club to the fourth title in a row.
