Shaw hat-trick sends Manchester City top as Chelsea draw with Everton

Manchester City moved to the top of the Women's Super League on Saturday after beating West Ham United 5-0, while Chelsea drew 1-1 at home to Everton. Khadija Shaw scored a hat-trick for City, who finished the afternoon on 25 points from nine matches, two ahead of Chelsea, according to Reuters.

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Shaw's treble came on her 150th appearance for City and took her total for the club to 132 goals, City's match report said. Aoba Fujino and Iman Beney also scored at the Joie Stadium. Both registered their first goals of the season as City turned a one-goal half-time advantage into a decisive victory with four goals after the interval.

West Ham had created opportunities before falling behind. The visitors' report described efforts from Estelle Cascarino and Viviane Asseyi that missed the target, while Seraina Piubel's shot went narrowly wide after a deflection. At the other end, Constance Picaud-Inconnu saved from Kerstin Casparij and Fujino struck the post before Shaw opened the scoring late in the first half.

Shaw added City's second eight minutes after the restart, meeting Lauren Hemp's cross with a header. Fujino then hit the crossbar before carrying the ball forward and scoring around the hour mark. Substitute Beney added the fourth, and Shaw completed her hat-trick in the 74th minute. City's report credited Grace Clinton with the pass that released Shaw for her third goal.

Chelsea's dropped points came after Lucy Bronze was involved in both goals against Everton. Reuters reported that Bronze headed the ball across goal for Sandy Baltimore to finish from close range in the 28th minute. Five minutes later, Bronze's attempted clearance went into her own net. Everton protected the draw, ending Chelsea's run of league victories since their opening-day dropped points.

The results leave City ahead before their meeting with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next week, a fixture noted in the club's report. Reuters placed London City Lionesses third on 16 points, with a home match against Birmingham City scheduled for Sunday. City therefore enter the next stage of the league programme with a two-point lead over their closest rivals.