Manchester City Go Top of the WSL as Bunny Shaw Scores a Hat-trick
Manchester City have moved to the top of the Women's Super League, England's top women's division, after a 5-0 win over West Ham. Chelsea, who had been top, were held 1-1 at home by Everton on the same day.
The main story was Bunny Shaw. The striker scored three times against West Ham, and The Guardian reported that Grace Clinton played the through-ball for her third goal. A through-ball is a pass played into the space behind the defence, so the striker can run onto it. Aoba Fujino and Iman Beney also scored for City, who finished the game well on top.
Shaw is now the league's leading scorer. She has 12 goals from nine WSL games, according to the same report. That is a strong start for a player who has been in the spotlight all season, and it shows how quickly a striker can take a game over when the chances start to come.
Chelsea's afternoon was much tighter. Sandy Baltimore put them ahead in the 28th minute. Everton were level soon after, when Lucy Bronze scored an own goal. An own goal is when a player puts the ball into their own net, and it is one of the strangest ways to score. Neither side could find a winner, and the draw was enough to hand City the top spot.
Being top of the table means more than bragging rights. The WSL is a league where a few points can decide the title, so a single weekend can change who is in front. Chelsea, who had been leading, now have to respond. City, meanwhile, go into their next match as league leaders.
Rivalry between these clubs has been fierce in recent seasons. Earlier this year, City beat Chelsea 5-1, and Kerolin scored a hat-trick in that game, according to ESPN. Chelsea, for their part, have shown in the past that they can bounce back from heavy defeats. Both clubs know the league is still wide open this autumn.
For City fans, the mood after this win will be easy to read. For Chelsea and Everton supporters, the points were split and the table has moved against Chelsea. For neutral observers, the result is a reminder that the WSL can turn quickly, and that a striker in form can change everything in a single afternoon.
