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Women’s Football Chelsea hold off United in clash of WSL title challengers

REIGNING Women’s Super League champions Chelsea moved to the top of the table with a 2-1 win against challengers Manchester United yesterday.

United had led the way at the start of play but suffered a first defeat of the campaign as goals from Pernille Harder and Fran Kirby earned the Blues victory.

Harder put Chelsea in front on the half-hour mark. After repeated attempts at goal by her teammates had been blocked by the Reds defence, the ball ricocheted to Harder in the six-yard box and she hammered it into the back of the net.

Manchester United equalised in the 61st minute with a stunning goal from substitute Lauren James.

James received the ball on the left and beat a defender before playing a neat one-two with Ella Ann Toone and curling the ball into the right-hand corner of the goal from the edge of the 18-yard box.

But Fran Kirby put Chelsea back ahead four minutes later. The forward used impressive pace to get on the end of a long, looping clearance from goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and took advantage of hesitant defending to calmly slot home.

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