The Women's Super League returned in dramatic fashion, with a rules controversy overshadowing Crystal Palace's celebrations, Chelsea again failing to convert dominance into victory, and Arsenal's summer signings making an instant impact.
Crystal Palace marked their return to the WSL with a 1-0 win over Everton, sealed by Lexi Lloyd-Smith's winning goal on her debut for the club. Manager Jo Potter and her squad celebrated what appeared to be a perfect start to life back in the top flight, but that joy has since turned to uncertainty. WSL Football confirmed on Sunday evening that Palace had breached substitution regulations during the match, using four separate substitution windows instead of the permitted three. Neither the club's coaching staff nor the match officials had noticed the infringement at the time. An investigation is now underway, and the result could potentially be overturned as punishment is determined.
Elsewhere, Chelsea's struggles to close out matches continued to raise questions under manager Sonia Bompastor. Despite an overwhelmingly dominant display, the champions could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa. Bompastor acknowledged the recurring pattern, saying: