Soccer

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes: We've won more than a match

<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;; ">Chelsea's Bethany England celebrates scoring her side's first goal of the game during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London&nbsp;&nbsp;on Sunday September 8, 2019.&nbsp;Picture by John Walton/PA Wire.&nbsp;</span>
Chelsea's Bethany England celebrates scoring her side's first goal of the game during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London&nb Chelsea's Bethany England celebrates scoring her side's first goal of the game during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London  on Sunday September 8, 2019. Picture by John Walton/PA Wire. 

CHELSEA Women manager Emma Hayes said the club have "won a lot" for the game beyond the three points with her side's 1-0 win over Tottenham in front of nearly 25,000 spectators at Stamford Bridge.

Bethany England's stunning fourth-minute strike sealed victory for Chelsea in a match they dominated for long periods, in their first game of the season in the Women's Super League.

Spurs goalkeeper Becky Spencer kept her side in the game in the first half, making two good saves to deny Hannah Blundell and Guro Reiten.

The attendance figure of 24,564 did not break the 31,213 at the Etihad Stadium for the Manchester derby on Saturday, and supporters had been allowed in to the west London venue for free.

But it was still five times more supporters than had ever previously watched a league match for Chelsea Women.

Hayes said: "Just as the game starts and the Chelsea fans make an atmosphere, the Spurs fans start chanting and I thought, 'happy days', that's what we've worked towards - an atmosphere, people coming to the game.

"We can be cynical about paying for tickets, but I'm not going to criticise it because we've built on the momentum of the World Cup, the scheduling of the game, the timing of the game, we built on it."

She added: "We've won a lot today, not just three points, in people's consciousness, women's football will continue to grow and I'm so proud of this football club.

"I doubt I'll ever work at a place that has pushed and pushed for women to progress like this place has."

Hayes was also full of praise for match-winning goalscorer England, saying: "I think her feet are firmly on the floor, I think the first four minutes of the game, she saw there was a pocket of space because they dropped so low in the game.

"Beth is ready, I think she justifiably earned her England call-up. She's got charisma, she's got good hold-up play, she can finish left and right foot, she has personality in the dressing room."

Tottenham Women manager Karen Hills said she thought the experience of playing in front of such a big crowd was incredible.

The manager of the newly-promoted side said: "I thought we came here to win a football match, first and foremost, obviously the occasion was a momentous one for women's football, I think this weekend has been absolutely incredible in terms of attendance. Both sets of fans were outstanding.

"But we set our stall out and I thought we've come away with a lot of positives. (We're) obviously disappointed to lose a football match but (I'm) really, really pleased and proud of every single one of those girls in there."

EARLY STRIKE SEALS CHELSEA WIN IN FRONT OF BIG CROWD AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

BETHANY England's stunning fourth-minute strike sealed victory for Chelsea over London rivals Tottenham in the Women's Super League in front of just under 25,000 fans at Stamford Bridge.

England's early long-distance shot was enough for the Blues to secure a 1-0 win in a match they dominated for long periods in their first game of the season.

Spurs goalkeeper Becky Spencer kept her side in the game in the first half, making two good saves to deny Hannah Blundell and Guro Reiten.

The attendance figures did not break the 31,213 at the Etihad Stadium for the Manchester derby on Saturday, but dwarfed the previous season's record of 5,265 at Brighton last season.

Tottenham survived an early scare when the ball fell to Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson at the far post inside the opening two minutes of the match, but her attempt went just wide.

The home side did not have to wait long for the goal however, with England's effort from outside the box the perfect opening.

Chelsea continued to look the more dominant, as Spencer was called into action a number of times in the first half and made some good saves, notably a deflected effort from Blundell and a powerful strike from Reiten.

Tottenham started to come back into the contest and came close to scoring the equaliser with their best chance of the match just four minutes after the restart when debutant Rachel Furness hit a low shot but Ann-Katrin Berger managed to dive low and make the save.

Chelsea hit the woodwork twice in the 58th minute, as Drew Spence hit a powerful strike onto the crossbar, before Reiten's follow-up header hit the post.

As the Blues looked for a second goal to seal all three points, Reiten sent in a curling free-kick which forced Spencer into another good save to deny the Norwegian midfielder.

In added time, England almost added a second after driving into the box and sending a powerful effort towards the goal, but Spencer was again able to make the save and deny the Blues forward.

Chelsea's Maren Mjelde (left) and Tottenham Hotspur's Lucy Quinn battle for the ball during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London on Sunday September 8, 2019.<br />Picture by John Walton/PA Wire.<br />&nbsp;
Chelsea's Maren Mjelde (left) and Tottenham Hotspur's Lucy Quinn battle for the ball during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London on Sunday September 8, 2019.
Picture by John Walton/PA Wire.
 
Chelsea's Maren Mjelde (left) and Tottenham Hotspur's Lucy Quinn battle for the ball during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London on Sunday September 8, 2019.
Picture by John Walton/PA Wire.
 
<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, &quot;Trebuchet MS&quot;; ">Chelsea's Bethany England celebrates scoring her side's first goal of the game during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London&nbsp;&nbsp;on Sunday September 8, 2019.&nbsp;Picture by John Walton/PA Wire.&nbsp;</span>
Chelsea's Bethany England celebrates scoring her side's first goal of the game during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London&nb Chelsea's Bethany England celebrates scoring her side's first goal of the game during the FA Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge, London  on Sunday September 8, 2019. Picture by John Walton/PA Wire.