Sam Kerr was all over the field on Sunday in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Manchester United.

The game was scoreless through the first 60 minutes before Kerr broke the tie to put Chelsea on the board. Four minutes later, she assisted on a goal by former United player Lauren James to make it 2-0 for Chelsea.

While Alessia Russo would pull one back in the 71st minute, Erin Cuthbert would add another in stoppage time to make it 3-1.

With the win, Chelsea hands Manchester United their first loss of the season and overtakes them in the WSL table. Chelsea now sits second behind Arsenal on goal differential, as both teams are tied with 18 points apiece.

Manchester United sits third with 15 points while Manchester City is in fourth with 12 points.

Chelsea had six shots on target to United’s two, despite possessing the ball just 48 percent of the time.

“I thought Man United put on a tough game for us,” James told Sky Sports postgame. “It’s never easy coming here, especially with the fans as well. We have a lot of experience, they’ve done it many times and it showed today that we have the quality to come through and get the three points.

“It was bittersweet [scoring against her former team]. Sometimes with the fans, it’s not nice coming back and getting booed but I love Chelsea and I’m just trying to do my best for then.

“[Sam Kerr] is a great player, I love playing with her. I read her well and we’re just enjoying playing together. The more we play together, the better the link will become.”

Time Magazine has named its TIME100 Next list, and soccer players Sam Kerr and Trinity Rodman feature among the rising stars.

The list, which recognizes up-and-comers in industries across the world, also includes tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, NBA player Ja Morant and Olympic sprinter Erriyon Knighton.

“What unites these individuals are their extraordinary efforts to shape our world—and to define our future,” reads the introduction to the list.

Each star on the list receives a blurb, and Rodman’s was written by former U.S. women’s national team goalkeeping legend Brianna Scurry.

In writing about Rodman’s accomplishments, which include becoming the youngest player ever drafted to the NWSL and earning her own spot on the USWNT, Scurry notes that the 20-year-old Washington Spirit forward has the potential to become “unstoppable.”

“Her approach reminds me of Mia Hamm in some ways—especially her intelligence about the runs that she makes and when she makes them,” Scurry writes. “Her work rate defensively is so impressive too.

“She’s also so personable and such a cut-up and a jokester, and she really likes to have fun with her teammates off the pitch. But she’s all business on it…The wealth of potential is off the charts.”

Sam Kerr stars for Chelsea in the Women’s Super League and for the Australian women’s national team. She is Australia’s all-time leading international scorer.

USWNT all-time leading scorer Abby Wambach introduced Kerr for Time, writing that the 29-year-old has the potential to make the world fall in love with her at the 2023 World Cup as the Matildas’ captain.

“Sam allows her play to speak for itself,” Wambach writes. “She leads not through bravado about her own skill, but by directing the spotlight to her teammates, celebrating their unique skills and effort. And they rise to the level that Sam sees in them. That’s a leader. That’s a legend.”

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The second weekend of Women’s Super League action featured some surprises. Look no further than Everton’s 3-0 road upset, which spoiled Liverpool’s record-breaking day at Anfield.

Arsenal, though, appeared as dominant as ever. The Gunners won 4-0 over Tottenham in front of a WSL record crowd of 47,367 fans.

WSL Plays of the Week

Jess Park dazzles with first goal

After four years at Manchester City, Jess Park went on loan to Everton this season and wasted no time recording her first WSL goal.

During a 3-0 road win in front of a Liverpool-record 27,574 fans, Park faked out Liverpool goalkeeper Rachael Laws to send one home.

“I tried that in training and messed it all up,” she said after the game. “I’m just glad it went in tonight!”

The Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead show

Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead put on a show for the crowd at Emirates Stadium on Saturday to help Arsenal to a dominant victory.

“Part of being in football is that you collect all those memories together with people that you really enjoy working with,” Arsenal manager Jonas Eidvall said. “Today was a special day for us and hopefully, it was the start of us playing in front of many people at the Emirates.”

Miedema continued to add to her all-time WSL goal count, scoring in the 44th minute and again in the 68th. The brace moved her into a tie for second-most goals this season behind Rachel Daly and teammate Beth Mead.

Mead also added to her goal count Saturday, adding a third in the fifth minute to get the scoring started for Arsenal. After a first attempt got sent back to her, Mead made sure to score on the second attempt, curling one past Rebecca Spencer.

Fran Kirby gets Chelsea back on track

Fran Kirby notched her second goal of the season in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday.

Kirby now has 34 goal involvements through 20 WSL appearances, scoring 21 goals and adding 13 assists in that span.

Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger appeared in the Blues’ starting lineup for the first time since announcing that her thyroid cancer had returned in August.

Berger helped Chelsea to a 2-0 win over Manchester City Sunday, logging five saves to secure the clean sheet.

The star goalkeeper revealed her cancer diagnosis in a statement posted to social media on Aug. 23.

“I wanted to update fans directly that unfortunately, after four years of living cancer-free, there has been a recurrence detected in my thyroid,” Berger said.

“I’ve said before that as a sportsperson you have to fight every day to be the best you can be and that’s something I will continue to do and I hope by sharing my journey, I can help others that find themselves in a similar situation.”

Berger was first diagnosed in 2017 while playing for Birmingham City but recovered within four months.

The 31-year-old is also the goalkeeper for the German national team, making headlines when she and her girlfriend, England’s Jess Carter, played against one another in this summer’s Euro final.

“She is in a really, really good place now and the doctors being all very positive,” Carter, a star Chelsea defender, said of Berger. “I think she will be back to her best in no time.”

Berger received an outpouring of support after initially revealing her thyroid cancer resurgence, with Chelsea teammate Sam Kerr Tweeting her support, writing, “We are all with you.”

USWNT midfielder Lindsey Horan, who played with Berger for Paris Saint-Germain from 2014 to 2016, Tweeted, “We are all with you Ann. Thinking of you my friend.”

Berger’s Sunday shutout helped Chelsea to its first points of the season after dropping their opener against Liverpool.

Saturday’s North London derby was on for the history books, with Arsenal smashing the Women’s Super League attendance record.

Emirates Stadium welcomed 47,367 fans after Arsenal announced 53,757 tickets had been sold for the Tottenham fixture.

The matchup eclipsed the previous WSL attendance record of 32,362 set by the Hotspurs in 2019.

The Gunners gave the packed Emirates crowd plenty to cheer for, blanking Tottenham 4-0 in a dominant showing.

Beth Mead continued her sensational season, opening up scoring for the Gunners in the game’s fifth minute. The England star gathered a deflected clearance before striking a curler into the far post for the go-ahead goal.

Vivianne Miedema added a brace to Arsenal’s tally, while Rafaella Souza nodded in a cheeky header to secure the Gunners a blowout victory against their rivals.

Arsenal will play six matches at Emirates Stadium, the club’s main venue, this season, giving fans an opportunity to watch the Gunners on the big stage. Meadow Park serves as Arsenal’s home stadium, with a maximum capacity of 4,5000.

The Gunners are one of four WSL teams competing in their club’s main stadium this weekend, with a record 80,000 fans expected to attend the league’s fixtures.

The Women’s Super League kicked off its season over the weekend after a week’s delay to honor Queen Elizabeth II, who died Sept. 8 at 96.

The opening matches featured new names, familiar faces and stunning upsets amid a swell of excitement and record ticket sales.

WSL plays of the Week

Rachel Daly’s dream debut

Rachel Daly returned to the WSL in style.

The English international notched a brace and an assist in her debut with Aston Villa, helping her side to a 4-3 win over Manchester City.

Daly signed with the club in August, ending her six-season stint with the NWSL’s Houston Dash.

It took just 22 minutes with her new club for Daly to make her mark, as she assisted Alisha Lehman for Aston Villa’s opening goal. Ten minutes later, Daly buried a goal of her own, rifling a curler to put her side up 2-0.

Daly’s most consequential contribution, however, came in the 76th minute, when she tapped in the game-winner to secure Aston Villa a thrilling victory.

“Some would say a dream debut,” Daly said after the match. “Obviously it’s nice to get on the scoresheet not one but twice, but importantly three points at Villa Park in front of a great crowd.”

Beth Mead’s brace

Beth Mead is on a tear, riding momentum from the Euros into the WSL season.

The England national team forward logged two goals and an assist while creating four chances in Arsenal’s 4-0 shutout over Brighton.

Both of Mead’s goals came in the second half, as she buried her first in the 63rd minute and her second in the 83rd minute.

The 27-year-old’s impressive season opener comes after a breakthrough 2022 Euro tournament in which Mead clinched the Golden Boot award, logging six goals and five assists for the Lionesses.

Ashleigh Neville’s rocket  

Ashleigh Neville struck the rocket of the weekend, powering a long-range banger to help Tottenham to a 2-1 win over Leicester City.

The 29-year-old ripped a stunning shot from 35 yards out to put the Hotspurs up 1-0 early.

“I took that kind of touch and saw it and just thought why not,” Neville said after the match. “It went in, so yeah, happy with that.”

The Women’s Super League season begins Friday after delaying kickoff by a week to honor Queen Elizabeth II after her death on Sept. 8.

Tabbed by Arsenal star Leah Williamson as “the best league in the world” in terms of competitiveness, the WSL has seen a wave of attention (and ticket sales) after England’s triumph in the UEFA Women’s EURO in July.

While the league has seen some key departures in Georgia Stanway and Keira Walsh, others such as Rachel Daly are sure to wow fans.

Just Women’s Sports has five players to watch as the action kicks off.

Sam Kerr

Club: Chelsea
Key Stats from 2021-22: 23 goals

Kerr spent last season atop the Super League, winning the Golden Boot as the league’s top scorer for the second straight season and helping Chelsea take the WSL title for the third straight season.

She notched a brace in last year’s FA Cup final against Arsenal, winning Player of the Match as she helped the club secure the domestic quadruple – the first English women’s club to do so.

Her efforts earned her third place in the 2021 Ballon d’Or standings, behind Barcelona’s Jennifer Hermoso and winner Alexia Putellas.

Beth Mead

Club: Arsenal
Key Stats: 72 chances created, 11 goals, 8 assists

One of the top players in WSL history, Beth Mead is coming off a season in which she led the league in assists and became the all-time assists leader.

She also was named Player of the Season for Arsenal after breaking the record for most chances created in a season (72) – a number that was more than double the second-place total (48).

The 27-year-old also led the league in most big chances created (13), most key passes (65) and most goal-creating actions (18).

Vivianne Miedema

Club: Arsenal
Key Stats: 14 goals, 8 assists

While many thought a departure from Arsenal could be in Vivianne Miedema’s future after the 2021-22 season, she opted to re-sign with the club on a one-year deal, which made her the highest-paid women’s player in England.

The top goalscorer in Women’s Super League history, Miedema is the only player to score against every team she’s faced in the league. Twice she’s won the Golden Boot, and she has finished as the runner-up to Kerr in the past two seasons.

She’s good on the assist as well, tying with teammate Beth Mead and Manchester United’s Ella Toone for the most assists last season with eight.

Rachel Daly

Club: Aston Villa
Key Stats: 9 regular-season goals in NWSL

Rachel Daly arrives back in the WSL after spending the summer with the Lionesses. She opted to leave the NWSL and remain in England in order to be closer to family.

Daly spent the past seven years with the Houston Dash, where she served as captain and scored a franchise-high 33 regular season goals during her tenure. She’s no stranger to the WSL, having spent time with Leeds United, Lincoln Ladies and West Ham United.

Her move should have no small impact on Aston Villa, as USWNT and Portland Thorns defender Becky Sauerbrunn called her transfer “such a loss” to the NWSL.

“She’s definitely one of those players that I know I hate going up against because she is that good and some players think they’re that good and that’s also super irritating to me, but she is actually that good,” Sauerbrunn said. “So, in a weird way, I am gonna miss her.”

Mary Earps

Club: Manchester United
Key Stats: 10 clean sheets

Fresh off a stellar summer with the England national team, Mary Earps will step back into net for Manchester United. She had the second-most clean sheets last season and was one of the league’s best goaltenders all season long, only allowing 21 goals through 21 games.

While Ann-Katrin Berger earned WSL Goalkeeper of the Year honors, Earps certainly deserved to be on the shortlist. And her stellar summer, which only cemented her place as one of England’s top goalkeepers, puts her on this list as one to watch as the WSL season gets underway.

The Women’s Super League will resume play this week, as will all soccer matches across England, the Football Association announced Monday.

The WSL’s opening weekend was postponed to honor Queen Elizabeth II, who died last Thursday at 96. Instead, the season will start Friday night with Arsenal’s sold-out home match against Brighton at Meadow Park.

“We would like to express our thanks and gratitude to everyone across our game for their support and understanding as we paid respect to our longstanding Patron of the Football Association, Queen Elizabeth II,” the FA wrote in a statement.

“All matches held at stadiums are subject to leagues and clubs working with the relevant authorities to stage these fixtures, as usual practice.”

Flags at Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park will continue to fly at half-mast throughout the week and over the weekend.

Matches set for Monday, Sept. 19, will be postponed due to the funeral of the queen scheduled for that day, but that should have no impact on the WSL.

The top flight of English women’s soccer is set to begin its season on the heels of a big summer, which culminated in England beating Germany to win its first Euros title. Star defender Leah Williamson said last week that the WSL is the “best league in the world” in terms of competitiveness.

A number of the WSL matches for the opening weekend were scheduled to be played at men’s stadiums. Whether those matches still will be played at the larger stadiums once they are rescheduled remains to be seen.

The Women’s Super League has postponed the opening weekend of the 2022-23 season following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at age 96.

After the queen’s death Thursday, the British government announced that decisions on whether to hold sports matches would be left to “the discretion of individual organizations.”

Officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport met Friday with leaders from the top English football bodies, including the Women’s Super League, the men’s Premier League and the Football Association, to discuss plans for the weekend. The FA later announced the postponement of all matches across every level of organized football in the country.

“Her Majesty the Queen was a long-standing Patron of The Football Association and has left a lasting and indelible legacy on our national game,” the FA wrote in a statement. “As a mark of respect, following the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, English football has united to postpone all football fixtures between Sept. 9-11.

“The FA can confirm that all football fixtures across the Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship, the Vitality Women’s FA Cup and the Isuzu FA Trophy, will be postponed this weekend.”

All matches scheduled for this weekend will be rescheduled for a later date. Flags at Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park will fly at half-staff over the weekend.

A number of the WSL matches for the opening weekend were scheduled to be played at men’s stadiums. It remains unclear if those matches still will be played at the larger stadiums after the postponement.

England star Leah Williamson called the Women’s Super League to be “the best league in the world” to watch as a fan but called for even more investment.

Speaking with BBC Sport ahead of the league’s opening weekend, the Arsenal defender discussed the increasing popularity of the WSL, which has seen record ticket sales for the 2022 season on the heels of the Lionesses’ Euros win.

“If I was a fan who wanted to watch a league, this would be the best league in the world without a shadow of a doubt. I think in terms of talent and the players that we attract, we’re doing really well,” Williamson said. “We want the best players to come and play in this league. I think it’s the most competitive league in the world, which to me makes it the best one to watch.

“The product isn’t the same as men’s football. Nobody’s asking for it to be equal in every aspect.”

As the league starts a new season, though, it does so without some big name players like Keira Walsh, who set a new women’s transfer record with her departure to Barcelona. Fellow England teammate Lucy Bronze also signed with Barcelona in the offseason from Manchester City, while Georgia Stanway left City for Bayern Munich.

For Williamson, the WSL has got better teams across the board – not just at the upper levels – but she would like to see more clubs in England investing in players.

“Other leagues might not be great or as consistent as ours with the teams, but the top teams are so good,” she said. “We definitely have a long way to go. I’d like to think that the clubs here are investing, but the level of investment in Europe is 10 times higher than it is here.

“I think the gap is a product of investment. A lack of investment here for so long, potentially. And quality of players. The quality of players in those teams is unbelievable.”

On the heels of England’s win, investment is at an all-time high, and Williamson would like to see that extend beyond the short term.

“It’s about more and more partners that are getting involved for the long run, not just for the short run. That’s where we’ll see a big boost of investment and a big boost of interest,” she told BBC Sport.

“We saw so many people jumping on the bandwagon,” she continued. “Are you going to stay on? Are you going to join us for this journey? Because it’s going to be one hell of a ride.”