Chelsea 0-2 Arsenal (Jan 24, 2026) Game Analysis
Chelsea’s bid for a seventh successive Women’s Super League title is hanging by a thread after Beth Mead inspired Arsenal to a famous 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Mead scored the Gunners’ opener in the 55th minute and set up the second for Mariona Caldentey six minutes later as the visitors dominated to move within a point of their second-placed rivals.
Chelsea have rarely threatened to claim points and now sit six points behind WSL leaders Manchester City who have a game in hand.
The hosts had gone into the match on a high note having extended their winning run to seven games in all competitions with a midweek victory at City in the Women’s League Cup semi-final.
But the Gunners, who lost to Manchester United in the same competition and missed Olivia Smith through suspension, were in the lead from the start and should have turned their first possession into goals.
Mead finally overcame her frustration shortly after the break when Alessia Russo pounced on a Chelsea hesitation to advance and play with her teammate, who slammed the opener past Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
Arsenal were well ahead and deserved to double their advantage six minutes later when Mead advanced from the right and found Caldentey unmarked in the middle of the area to fire home in the simplest second.
With Chelsea at sea, Arsenal continued to threaten and thought they had grabbed a third in the 67th minute, only for a Stina Blackstenius header to be ruled narrowly offside.
The home side showed some signs of fighting when Erin Cuthbert almost reduced the deficit, and substitute Sjoeke Nüsken was guilty of a glaring miss in front of goal as the minutes ticked by.
But Arsenal were rarely troubled as they ran out the clock to wrap up their first league win at Chelsea since 2018.