Canadian standout Jessie Fleming helps Chelsea clinch Women's Super League title
Midfielder comes off bench to help club to 3rd straight championship
Canada's Jessie Fleming came from the bench to aid Chelsea in its 4-2 win over the visiting Manchester United on Sunday to clinch a third straight FA Women's Super League title.
The 24-year-old London, Ont., native came on for Pernille Harder in the 77th minute. It represents the second league title for Fleming, who had six goals and four assists in 21 appearances for Chelsea this season, having featured in all but one game.
The 2021 Canada Soccer player of the year winner also won the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Community Shield since joining the London-based club in July 2020.
Chelsea, the most successful club in the league's history with six championships, can add another trophy to its cabinet next Sunday in the FA Women's Cup final against Man City, which finished third in the WSL to take the final Champions League place.
Chelsea needed to defeat Manchester United in order to be crowned champions of England after runner-up Arsenal beat West Ham 2-0 at the same time.
But the Blues didn't get off to a good start. Martha Thomas put the visiting side up 1-0 in the 13th minute. Although it took Chelsea five minutes to tie the game with a goal by Erin Cuthbert, Ella Toone gave the lead back to Manchester United in the 25th minute.
In the second half, however, it was all Chelsea. Sam Kerr scored twice and Guro Reiten added one of her own to lift the Blues to a 4-2 victory.
Chelsea wrapped up its Women's Super League winning campaign with 56 points, one more than Arsenal, and a 18-2-2 record.
CHELSEA. CHAMPIONS.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHAMPIIIONS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHAMPIIIONS</a> <a href="https://t.co/3pfL9eRGhm">pic.twitter.com/3pfL9eRGhm</a>
—@ChelseaFCW