Chelsea Women took another giant step towards the Women's Super League title while simultaneously ending Arsenal Women's hopes of glory with a 2-0 win in Sunday's crucial Kingsmeadow contest.
First-half strikes from Guro Reiten and Magdalena Eriksson proved telling before Katie McCabe missed a glorious chance to get Arsenal back into the game in the second half, dragging a penalty wide as the Gunners' already-slim title chances crashed and burned.
Now sitting five points clear of Manchester United at the top of the WSL table, Chelsea will be crowned champions if the Red Devils fail to beat local rivals Manchester City later on tonight, while Arsenal's focus is now on retaining a top-three position and a place in the Champions League.
Unsurprisingly making a fast start in front of the Kingsmeadow faithful, Chelsea's dominance was rewarded with just 22 minutes gone, as Eve Perisset whipped an inch-perfect cross to the back stick, where Reiten was allowed to ghost in undetected and side-foot the ball back across goal and into the corner on the stretch.
The Blues' opener was just reward for their lightning-quick start, but Arsenal almost wiped out the hosts' strike just five minutes later, as Ann-Katrin Berger palmed Frida Maanum's long-range effort into the air and had to backpedal to claw the ball away a second time.
Chelsea were otherwise keeping a patched-up Arsenal team at bay relatively well, though, and the visitors' shortcomings at defending crosses came to the fore once again just four minutes before the break.
Reiten was the architect this time, sending in an outswinging free kick to the back post, where Samantha Kerr headed the ball back across for departing captain Eriksson to prod home through the legs of Manuela Zinsberger.
DERBY DAY DELIGHT! 🔥#CFCW pic.twitter.com/4GHLHnTwEd
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) May 21, 2023
Jonas Eidevall responded at half time with the introduction of Steph Catley - taking off Kathrine Kuhl - and it was the Gunners who came out all guns blazing after the restart in a desperate bid to stay in the title conversation.
Just seven minutes into the second half, Victoria Pelova's delivery was on the money for Caitlin Foord, but the ball deflected off the Australian's thigh and struck the bar on its way over the top.
Arsenal came again, though, and they were awarded a penalty on the hour mark when Sophie Ingle blocked McCabe's shot with her arms. The Chelsea defender went down holding her side, but referee Abigail Byrne immediately pointed to the spot.
Having won the penalty, McCabe stepped up to the 12-yard mark and went for power, but the 27-year-old drilled her low shot wide of the post in a huge let-off for the champions-elect.
Eidevall's side remained on top after McCabe fluffed her lines, though, and Berger was called upon once again to keep out a ferocious drive from Maanum in the 62nd minute.
While not looking overly concerned about adding to their lead, Chelsea's dogged defending continued to win out against an Arsenal attack that were running out of ideas, but Berger still had to be alert to divert a long-range Catley strike behind in the 87th minute.
Hayes's side now travel to Reading for next weekend's finale - where they may or may not have already been crowned champions - while Arsenal, who have a three-point lead over Man City in third, host Aston Villa to round off an injury-hit campaign.
Ben Knapton
