The Women's Super League returned this weekend with new signings, overhauled squads and several unexpected results. Manchester City, the defending champions and FA Cup holders, began their title defence at home against newly-promoted Birmingham City, while upsets came elsewhere in the division.
Manchester City defeated Birmingham 3-1 in what manager Andree Jeglertz called a display that showed their title credentials. The Swedish boss acknowledged the performance was "much smoother" in the second half after a hesitant opening, noting his team imposed their superiority though he believed they should have scored more. Birmingham performed well on their WSL debut but could not match City's attacking threat.
Chelsea, seeking to reclaim the title after dropping to third place last season, drew 1-1 with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Despite recording 57 touches in the opposition box and 23 shots inside the area, Chelsea failed to break through Villa's defence. The draw raised fresh questions about their ability to convert chances, a weakness that contributed to their third-place finish in the previous campaign.
Elsewhere, Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory at Brighton with a debut goal from 19-year-old Lisa Baum, while Liverpool impressed in a 4-0 win over newly-promoted Charlton. New Liverpool signing Vivien Endemann scored and told Sky Sports the team felt "very, very good" after their opening victory, contrasting sharply with their struggles last season when they did not record a win until January.
London City Lionesses, bolstered by signings including two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, defeated Manchester United 2-1 in Friday's opening fixture. Crystal Palace's 1-0 victory over Everton showed newly-promoted sides could compete in the expanded 14-team league, with Lexi Lloyd-Smith's first-half goal securing the win.
