Soccer-Kerolin nets hat-trick as Man City hammer Chelsea 5-1 in WSL

Brazilian forward Kerolin netted a superb hat-trick as Manchester City thrashed reigning champions Chelsea 5-1 on Sunday, all ‌but wresting the Women's Super League title from the grasp of the Londoners as they dominated from start to finish. With 13 victories ⁠in 14 league games and eight left to play, City top the standings on 39 points. They are 11 clear of rivals Manchester United and 12 ahead of Chelsea, who have dominated ​in recent years, winning the last six titles in a row.

Brazilian Kerolin drilled the ‍opener in the 13th minute before Jamaica international Bunny Shaw doubled their advantage in the 36th. The 26-year-old Kerolin killed the game off four minutes after the break by running more than half the length of the field ⁠and ‌deftly lifting the ball ⁠over Hannah Hampton to make it 3-0 as City counter-attacked from a Chelsea corner.

She completed her hat-trick five ‍minutes later, and though Alyssa Thompson pulled one back for Chelsea in the 68th minute, Vivianne Miedema ​quickly scored again to snuff out any hope of a comeback. Earlier in the afternoon, ⁠Norway international Lisa Naalsund scored twice as Manchester United eased to a 3-1 win over bottom side Liverpool to ⁠move up to second in the standings.

In London, Tottenham Hotspur secured a 2-1 win away to West Ham United, finishing the game with 10 players after Drew Spence was sent ⁠off late, while London City Lionesses beat Brighton & Hove Albion by the same scoreline. There was ⁠joy at Goodison Park ‌as Everton defender Martina Fernandez scored twice to bring her side back from a goal down to beat Aston Villa 2-1, picking up ⁠their first home victory of the season.