Lauren James inspires Chelsea to Women’s League Cup victory over Man Utd

Lauren James returned to haunt her former club, Manchester United, again as she spearheaded Chelsea to victory in the Women’s League Cup final.

James, who left United to join Chelsea in 2021, opened the scoring in the 19th minute before Aggie Beever-Jones netted the decisive strike in the second half.

James, who signed a new contract to keep her at Chelsea until 2030, has missed much of this season through injury but has been slowly returning to form.

She was pivotal in England’s victory over Iceland last weekend and she was at the heart of everything Chelsea did in this final.

James put her hand to her ear after opening the scoring in front of United’s fans, who booed her for much of the game. A mistake at the back from United allowed the forward to score the game’s first goal – and her sixth against her former side in her last seven games.

Dominique Janssen mis-hit a back-pass to Phallon Tullis-Joyce and James stole possession before the forward sent a cool finish past the United goalkeeper.

United twice went close to equalising before half-time. Elisabeth Terland sent a shot against the crossbar before Ellen Wangerheim fired wide from close-range.

Chelsea were without a number of players because of injuries while Ellie Carpenter and Sam Kerr are participating in the Asia Cup for Australia. It meant head coach Sonia Bompastor was forced to start a makeshift back-four, with Kadeisha Buchanan making her first start since returning from an ACL injury. Buchanan could only play 62 minutes before making way for Nathalie Bjorn, who had not played since December 2.

But Bjorn lasted just five minutes before being forced off with a calf injury, as the defender headed down the tunnel in tears. With three of Chelsea’s back four playing out of position, United should have been the team pressing for a goal. But Chelsea found a second goal in the 77th minute, as Beever-Jones poked home a cross from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.

Full report to come…