Malard SEALS IT 🔥 Chelsea v Birmingham City Highlights | Barclays WSL 2026-27

Lexi Potter out to Bormann, playing high up the field. Nusken, good ball to Baltimore into the area. Doesn't quite manage to pull the ball back, but it's a corner and it's all Chelsea so far in these opening five minutes. Yeah, particularly down this left hand side, Baltimore's getting on as much as possible. She's got so much pace and strength. Corner taken short, Thompson. Kiera Walsh, not far away. We know she's got that quality from the edge of the area. Kiera Walsh is not afraid to take a shot, catches it well, but just drags it away from that near post. A warning shot for Birmingham City. Here's Carpenter driving into the area. That was a flick from Thompson, but the ball's put away in the end by Lexi Potter, although it is given, I thought for a moment the referee had disallowed the goal, but it's Potter who scored it. And Chelsea's dominance pays off. In the eighth minute, they go ahead. Chelsea 1, Birmingham City 0 through Lexi Potter. Does look like Alissa Thompson keeps herself on side and then Lexi Potter. She's earned her place in the team. Sonia Bonpastour saying how well she did in the last game. She arrives in the box right on cue, then a lovely finish into the top of the net. Here comes Lucy Bronx. Lots of space, plenty of options as well. Go short to Nuskant. Carpenter on the overlap. And that is good defending. It has to be said in the end for Utrecht, who has not really her job, but she tracked back well there and was alive to the danger. In comes the corner from Baltimore right towards the penalty spot. Well, Buchanan goes down in quite dramatic fashion, it has to be said, but half claims for a penalty, I think mainly from Buchanan herself. To be fair, she was caught by Utrecht. I think the full maybe didn't help her. It was a little bit dramatic, but it did look like there was a touch on the shin. Just puts it straight out for Chelsea. Throw in play is allowed to continue. It didn't look like that was where the throw in should have been taken. And it's a save from Birmingham City caught out by play being allowed to continue. Now there's a familiar face. Serena Williams sitting in the centre there alongside her husband, Alexis Ohanian, who has a stake in this Chelsea women's club. Chelsea on the attack again, Thompson in the area. Kept tying with Carpenter playing well, virtually as a forward. She's meant to be a fullback. Here's Thompson. Thompson goes high, goes too high in the end. But another good Chelsea move appreciated by the fans behind that goal. Nice, intricate play. Ellie Carpenter is involved in everything at the moment. And Alissa Thompson looks really sharp. Lexi Potter, lovely step inside, gives it to Boorman. Baltimore involved so much in this opening half. Dangerous cross again. Oh, that was one where you wonder how that one stayed out. Birmingham City come away and there's still only one goal down. A typically physical challenge from Khadija Buchanan, but referee says all fair, play on. Yeah, Chelsea again probing. Nothing really threatening every time the ball goes forward. Thompson down the line. Nuskan wants it in the centre, but Alissa Thompson puts her head down, gets to the byline, ball comes in. Oh, that would have been a great goal off the bar from Nuskan. Cutting through Birmingham like a knife through butter there. Chelsea, Nuskan with the header off the woodwork in the end. What a ball this was from Thompson. That was a fantastic cross. And to be fair to Nuskan, she's done ever so well to get that anywhere near the target. Ochoa goes for a long shot and why not? We have to mark that down as Birmingham City's first effort on goal. And we talked about the concentration of Hannah Hampton. She had her eyes open to that one. Oh, and that's a unlucky back pass, perhaps, to Thompson. Oh, Thompson brought down is she? Referee says no. Play goes on. Was looking to go round Sophie Bagley. Ended up in an awkward collision. I think Bagley's come off worse. And it's that Heron down as well at the back for Birmingham City. What did you make of this one, Helen? Yeah, I think it was a well-timed challenge. City with Miyagawa. This is a better move. Here's Crossway. Laidhamer's in there. Well, that is the opportunity we've been talking about. You always get one. And perhaps Laidhamer should have put it away. It was good work from Crossway, who's been very, very quiet. And maybe Birmingham City should have been back on terms. Yeah, that was an excellent move. Certainly their best of the match so far. Down the right hand side for Birmingham. Fantastic ball in. And yeah, Laidhamer, I think anywhere else. And that goes in the back of the net. And Birmingham, a rare foray into the Chelsea area. I think that one from this angle looked way, way closer than it was. Always going high, wide and handsome. But again, just a little bit more encouragement for Birmingham City. It's a nice play again. It's the right hand side again for Birmingham. Nutmeg there and just off balance. Dangerous ball in. It could go anywhere. It's just crept past the post. Mia Gower with the chance in the end. But this is kind of out of nothing. Utrecht just delivers a deep ball in, which Buchanan just does not deal with. Yeah, and Birmingham are getting bodies forward now, which they weren't doing in the first half. And they're giving themselves half a chance. Mallard looking to chase this one down. Mallard! Her first goal in the BWSL since joining from Manchester United. And it should be the goal that takes Chelsea to victory. Oh, just as I was saying that Birmingham have given themselves half a chance. They've committed a few more bodies forward. And it looks to the world that they've dealt with this one. Millie Turner just doesn't get enough on it and puts the ball on a plate for her former Manchester United teammate Alvin Mallard. And as a forward in a new club, that's exactly what you want. But, you know, it wasn't simple. She still had a fair bit to do. Looks really sharp. Doesn't look like a player that's had a few weeks out injured. The final whistle is blown by referee Alice Barker and Ellie Carpenter and her Chelsea teammates have put on a professional performance here. Maybe should have scored more, but it's a 2-0 win started by Lexi Potter and finished by substitute Melveen Mallard. Her first goal since joining from Manchester United in the summer.