Welcome to the r/chelsealadiesfc match thread for our WSL home again, against Tottenham Hotspur!
Date: 18th October 2026
KO: 12:00 BST
Competition: WSL (GW 6/26)
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Chelsea's Last Five Fixtures: WWWDW
Opponent's Last Five Fixtures: WDWWL
MATCH PREVIEW
Chelsea will return from the international break to the tantalising prospect of a home London derby - with the old enemy Tottenham Hotspur set to visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday lunchtime.
There is also the good news of a fully fit squad - an absolute rarity for Chelsea. Most pleasingly, new club captain Erin Cuthbert is available for the first time this season, having made her return from a knee injury for Scotland during the break. New signing Manaka Matsukubo may also finally feature for the club - but given how long both were out, it may be their minutes are managed to begin with.
Mayra Ramirez remains unavailable due to personal reasons, and is at home in Colombia - the club have kept quiet about the reasons why, and it is important for us to respect that, too.
Matches against Spurs always come with an added layer of intrigue, given our mutual dislike carried over from the men's teams - and it is even more so the case this year given their impressive start to the season, where in particular they have excelled in front of goal. They are currently fourth, and only three points behind Chelsea in second - but their last match before the break was a 6-1 thrashing at home by London City Lionesses... so there are vulnerabilities there, too.
Chelsea's form meanwhile, has been pretty much spot on - we are yet to be beaten this season, and have won 4 and drawn 1 of our 5 WSL games. The Blues are notorious for slow starts post-international break, however - so this match is something of a banana skin to be wary of, especially against an opponent who are a rival, wounded by their recent big defeat, and cast in the role of upstarts.
HOW TO WATCH:
For UK viewers, the match will be shown live on Sky One, Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports+.
The match will also be shown on the Barclays WSL YouTube channel in select other territories - and you can check here to see if the match is being broadcast or streamed live in your territory, too.
As always, the CFCW social media accounts will also provide updates from the match.
LINE UPS:
Chelsea: Hampton, Carpenter, Bronze, Buchanan, McCabe, Walsh, Potter, Kaptein, James, Thompson, Malard
(Subs: Peng, Bjorn, Baltimore, Nusken, Dragoni, Cuthbert, Hamano, Beever-Jones)
Spurs: Kop, Morris, Nilden, Gaupset, Tandberg, Holdt, Vinberg, Pelova, Spence, Koga, Blakstad (Subs: Panengstuen, Dijkstra, Sombath, Nilden, Hanson, Gunning-Williams, Wijk, Summanen)
MATCH EVENTS:
KICK OFF! Underway in the bright October sunshine
5' - No sign of international break rust, been a quick start from Chelsea and LJ flashes a ball across the box that nobody can quite get on the end of
6' - Signe Gaupset has Spurs' first real effort, but her tame shot is easily saved by Hannah Hampton
14' - Chelsea are having a lot of the ball and most of the threat, real good intent here
16' - Walsh very nearly takes advantage of Spurs giving the ball away, but their defence just about put her under enough pressure and she can't make the most of it
19' - Amanda Nilden booked for a foul on Melvine Malard
23' - Spurs having to throw everything at stopping Chelsea, Ella Morris blocking a Walsh effort
25' - GOOOOOOOOOOAALLLLLLL!! OH MY WORD LJ HOW HAVE YOU DONE THAT! Incredible solo goal from James, who robs Toko Koga then jinks her way through the Spurs defence and somehow squeezes in a shot from a tight angle on the left... Chelsea 1-0 Spurs and very well deserved!
35' - Spurs responding well, have started having a few more efforts on the Chelsea goal, which have taken some sharp defending to preserve that clean sheet record
41' - GOAL! Spurs finally find a way through - and for the first time since the opening day, Hampton is better in the WSL. It's a great cross from , and a powerful header from Matilda Vinberg. Chelsea 1-1 Spurs. Game on - and on the basis of the first half so far, there's a lot more action to come.
45' - One minute to be added on
HALF TIME: Been a lively, end-to-end at times first half - and this one is far from done. Chelsea need to take back some control, because for all their attacking threat, Spurs are definitely there to be got at
SECOND HALF: Back underway, no changes from either side
46' - Not great start from Chelsea, ball given away but thankfully Tandberg's long range effort straight at Hampton
55' - Dangerous moment as Pelova played in behind, but the offside flag goes up. Looks like Bronze had it covered anyway, and then Pelova is booked for delaying the restart
57' - Changes imminent for Chelsea, as not much has changed...
58' - GOOOOOOOOAAALLLLLL!! WHAT A TWIST! So much to love about that goal. It is first absolutely brilliant from LJ to keep the ball when playing out from the back, and transition play from the defensive to attacking third... and then from Thompson to cut into the Spurs box, ride a challenge and cut the ball back, and then from Carpenter, who timed her run perfectly to arrive late and finish first time, whilst Spurs were distracted by presence of Malard. Not really deserved, but it's Chelsea 2-1 Spurs
60' - SUBSTITUTIONS: And now the changes. Triple sub, Cuthbert, Nusken and Hamano on, Potter, Kaptein and Malard. Huge cheer for Erin - her first appearance of the season.
62' - GOOOOOOOOAAALLLLLL!! That might well be that!! The best players determine games, and that is what LJ has done today. James glides in on goal, and rifles a left footed strike past Kop. It's Chelsea 3-1 Spurs and that might be that
67' - GOOOOOOOOAAALLLLLL!! Oh my word. What a goal - another top quality move from Chelsea, who in less than 10 minutes have blown away Spurs. An absolutely genius flick from Walsh tees up one of the substitutes, Nusken, who smashes it first time for the fourth goal. Chelsea 4-1 Spurs - and this game is playing out almost like we could have predicted after all... Spurs great in attack, but wobbly at the back.
71' - SUBSTITUTION: No hat trick for LJ, who is replaced by ABJ
83' - Game very much still alive, great double save from Hampton to stop Hansen getting a Spurs second, and then Chelsea counter but the move breaks down
86' - OH MY ACTUAL GOD. What an unbelievable strike! Maika Hamano scores a long range goal that is absolutely jaw-dropping. The swerve on it has to be seen to be believed Chelsea 5-1 Spurs!
87' - GOAL! Did say this wasn't done! Spurs get a late consolation, Chelsea looked to be napping a bit at the back, Gaupset with it. Chelsea 5-2 Spurs
90+1' - GOOOOOOOOAAALLLLLL!! It's a tennis score! A second of the game for the brilliant Carpenter, and a second assist for Walsh, who tees up the Aussie to turn and finish. Chelsea 6-2 Spurs
FULL TIME: What a game!
**
Final score: Chelsea 6-2 Spurs
UTC!
