Chelsea's title defence got off to the perfect start as they beat rivals Manchester City in their Women's Super League opener at Stamford Bridge.

Summer signing Ellie Carpenter was impressive on her debut, providing a lovely assist for Aggie Beever-Jones' 31st-minute opener and tormenting City's defence.

Chelsea added a second when Maika Hamano slotted the ball past goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita in the 64th minute, before a Niamh Charles own goal gave City hope with 20 minutes left.

Former Lyon full-back Carpenter has reunited with manager Sonia Bompastor and showed why the Frenchwoman was keen to bring her to London and strengthen a squad that had just won a domestic trophy treble.

With bursting runs and dangerous deliveries, the Australian international was a handful throughout for England defender Alex Greenwood, who was playing at left-back for the visitors.

It was City boss Andree Jeglertz's first taste of WSL football after managing Denmark at Euro 2025.

He handed debuts to Sydney Lohmann and Jade Rose, who looked assured at centre-midfield and centre-back respectively.

However, despite some promising play from Jeglertz's new-look City and Greenwood hitting the bar with a free-kick, it was the same old story, as Chelsea were clinical in the moments that mattered.

With Australian striker Sam Kerr on their bench for the first time in 20 months and new signing Alyssa Thompson - the 20-year-old USA forward brought in on deadline day - the home fans will feel there is still more to come from them this season as they pursue more honours.

City were spirited, but suffered further blows at the end of the game with Greenwood injured and forward Lily Murphy taken off on a stretcher.

A busy week for Chelsea was capped off by the arrival of Thompson and they rolled out the red carpet for her as she was introduced to fans at Stamford Bridge.

It was an unpleasant sight for City, who have a massive task on their hands to close the gap their hosts carved out last season during an impressive, unbeaten domestic campaign that produced WSL, FA Cup and League Cup triumphs.

But Chelsea are eager to remain on top and this was the perfect way to start the new campaign and remind their challengers why they have been so successful.

As they did so often last season, they soaked up some early pressure, taking their time to figure out City's dynamic shape and where they could exploit them.

It did not take them too long to figure it out.

Greenwood clearly had no answer to Carpenter's pace and the Australian had constant joy on the right-hand side.

Chelsea used the tactic well, continually giving Carpenter the ball and got players in the box for her to pick out. Beever-Jones, eventually, met one of those crosses with a close-range finish.

The second goal came from the same side as Wieke Kaptein's low delivery was allowed to roll through to Hamano, who slotted past her compatriot Yamashita.

Even when Charles headed a whipped Greenwood free-kick past her own keeper, Lionesses hero Hannah Hampton, to give City a lifeline, Chelsea still looked comfortable, knowing they had impact players to come on off the bench and finish the job.

New City boss Jeglertz insisted this week there would be "no revolution" at the club, despite him clearly wanting to implement his own style.

It was still the patient, possession-led approach we have been accustomed to seeing from them - but there were some clear tweaks.

England forward Lauren Hemp, among the Euro 2025 stars celebrated before kick-off as they paraded the trophy at Stamford Bridge, was an inverted right winger for most of the match, while full-back Kerstin Casparij often roamed into midfield.

Captain Greenwood took on the left-back role in which she performed so well at the Euros and Germany international Lohmann switched midfield roles with Yui Hasegawa throughout - one moving forward into the space as the other dropped deeper.

City's fluidity caused early problems for Bompastor's Blues as they took time to work out their shape and keep the ball for long periods.

But while there were positive signs, Jeglertz's side were still not clinical enough as Chelsea soaked up the pressure and capitalised on their own momentum.

It will be a work in progress this season for City and they will hope late injuries to Greenwood and Murphy are not too serious.

But while they will take comfort in knowing they matched the champions for the majority of the match, Chelsea's potency in attack proved the difference and why Bompastor's side are currently a class apart.

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