The two Lionesses stood out as Sonia Bompastor's side inched closer to the first of four pieces of silverware on offer this season
Chelsea will compete in a sixth-successive Women's League Cup final next month, taking on either Arsenal or Manchester City as they bid for a first triumph in the competition since 2021 after comfortably beating West Ham by a 2-0 scoreline. First-half goals from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Sjoeke Nusken were enough to secure their place in the showpiece, with the Hammers simply beaten by the better team in the end, despite an encouraging start.
There were 20 minutes played when Rytting Kaneryd broke the deadlock, catching Kinga Szemik out at her near post with a powerful strike, and Nusken doubled that lead before the half-hour mark. It was a reward for the tenacious pressing by herself and Guro Reiten, who slipped Nusken through on goal after the pair had harried Eva Nystrom to great effect.
There was little in the way of goal-mouth action at either end after that. Viviane Asseyi hit the frame of the goal with a free-kick in first-half stoppage time for West Ham, while there were chances for Mayra Ramirez and Maika Hamano that went begging for the hosts. It always felt comfortable for Chelsea though, even if it wasn't relentless, as they were able to see the game out despite a late flurry from the trailing Hammers.
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Kingsmeadow…
Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence
Hannah Hampton (6/10):
Had one heart-in-mouth moment when a clearance ricocheted off Asseyi, but it bounced well out of harm's way. Was proactive with her decision-making and made a couple of smart saves.
Ashley Lawrence (7/10):
Got forward relentlessly to offer an effective outlet in attack.
Nathalie Bjorn (7/10):
Tidy on the ball and perfectly solid in her defending.
Millie Bright (8/10):
Strong, decisive and timely in her tackles. Stood up really well to West Ham's attacks.
Niamh Charles (6/10):
Was quieter than Lawrence, as Chelsea found a lot of joy down the right in particular, but still motored up and down the left well.
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Keira Walsh (8/10):
A wonderfully classy performance on her full Chelsea debut. Ran the game.
Sjoeke Nusken (7/10):
Pressed well and enjoyed some attacking freedom with Walsh holding things down behind her. Both of those facts led to her goal, which doubled Chelsea's lead.
Maika Hamano (6/10):
Showed nice glimpses and was tidy in possession in all areas.
Getty ImagesAttack
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (7/10):
Was guilty of being wasteful on some occasions but balanced it out with plenty of excellent moments as well, including her strike to open the scoring.
Mayra Ramirez (6/10):
Worked incredibly hard and did essentially everything but score. It just didn't fall for her, despite her best efforts.
Guro Reiten (7/10):
Like Charles, she was quiet at times because of Chelsea's joy down the right, but still came away with a neat assist for Nusken.
Getty ImagesSubs & Manager
Lauren James (5/10):
Came on just past the hour but struggled to make a real impact as Chelsea took their foot off the gas and just managed the remainder of the game.
Aggie Beever-Jones (6/10):
Led the line for the final half hour but didn't get much service, though she did have some nice moments trying to create.
Wieke Kaptein (6/10):
Introduced with 20 minutes to play to help Chelsea see the rest of the game out. Showed good initiative on the ball when she had the chance.
Oriane Jean-Francois (N/A):
Replaced Rytting Kaneryd for the final 10 minutes.
Sonia Bompastor (7/10):
Didn't underestimate the opponent and gave the occasion the respect it deserved with a strong XI. That was needed to break West Ham down, too, as they didn't give Chelsea anything easily. Made her substitutions early and while they couldn't make a real impact on the game, they brought fresh legs and energy to see the game out.
