The sensational Emma Hayes shocked the soccer fraternity by taking the USWNT to a historic Olympic gold medal. She decided to leave Chelsea at the end of the 2024 season and joined the USWNT. But no one would have imagined her to lead the team to an Olympic gold within two months of taking charge.

Chelsea began life after Emma Hayes with a 1-0 win at home to Aston Villa on the first day of the 2024/25 WSL season.New manager Sonia Bampastor's first competitive match in charge of the Blues ended

Sonia Bompastor collected her first points as Chelsea manager with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa on the opening night of the Women’s Super League. A left-footed effort from the edge of the area from Sweden winger Johanna Rytting Kaneryd opened the scoring.

Watch highlights as Chelsea narrowly beat Aston Villa following a stunning first-half strike from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd at Kingsmeadow.

LONDON (Reuters) -Reigning Women's Super League champions Chelsea got their campaign off to a winning start, beating Aston Villa 1-0 at home as a goal from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd gave new coach Sonia Bompastor all three points in her first league game in charge.

Chelsea at last gain some territory when Reiten is pulled down. 80 min: Some touchline histrionics from Robert de Pauw. His team have been pretty impressive and well organised. 78 min: Reiten goes in to come back out again but Chelsea fail to get the ball into the centre.

Chelsea begin life under Sonia Bompastor with nervy opening Women's Super League win over Aston Villa - Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s first-half goal proved enough for three points at Kingsmeadow

The club itself has been carved out from underneath the Chelsea men’s umbrella, and is now its own separate entity, on and off the pitch. But, as they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same.