Aston Villa boss Robert de Pauw speaking to BBC Sport: "I'm not so easily frustrated [to have come away with nothing] but I am very proud of what they did today. They showed the progress made in the summer, that we are getting closer.
"It says a lot that the champions at their home ground were wasting time at the end. If you can force the opponent to do that then you certainly played a good game. The goalkeeper saved them in the end with two good saves, credit to her. We still have things we can improve but in the end, we have to take it as it is."
On if there is more to come from Villa: "For certain. There is still so much to improve and if you saw what we did today and we still can improve, maybe that is promising for the future."
'Bompastor will be pleased'published at 21:12 British Summer Time 20 September 2024
21:12 BST 20 September 2024
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa
Fara Williams Former England midfielder on BBC Two
For an opening game this result is perfect for Chelsea.
Teams across the league are buying in players to make themselves improve and Villa are one of those teams. They are no pushovers and have ambitions to make it into the top six.
Chelsea have got the three points on the board and they can move forward. I think Sonia Bompastor will be pleased.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor speaking to BBC Sport: "It’s always important to start with the win. I hoped maybe
we could score more goals and be more relieved. But everyone told me 'welcome to
the league' and this is why I came."
On what Chelsea's identity is going forward: "We always try to have possession of
the ball. Trying to build up from a back line. Today you could see the
importance of having a goalkeeper that is able to play with the feet.
Confidence and trying always to be together. Using the good space and trying to
be smart. I have to say, Aston Villa also did a great job tonight and it was a
difficult game, but I was expecting that."
On what success looks like this season: "The result is always important. I want
to see my team play a good style of football. It’s never easy but I want players to enjoy it on the pitch and make fans happy. If you want to enjoy you have to
be good technically and score a lot of goals. I just want my players to be
together and trying to score some goals."
On if Guro Reiten will play in the number 10 role more this season: "Guro has a lot of experience, she is
talented, so smart on the pitch. She can play different positions for sure and
we tried different positions in pre-season. Maybe in the future she will play
more attacking."
Chelsea scorer Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, speaking to BBC Sport: "It was nervous minutes in the end, they were really pressing us and I feel like Hannah did some very good saves today. It was a typical first game of the season I feel like, I'm just happy we can win."
On whether she's been practicing the move for her goal: "For sure. I've been working on my left foot. I do that Cruyff thing pretty much every game and it works so I'm going to keep doing that."
On the change under Sonia Bompastor: "It's been very different, Emma was here for so long and had her plan to play. Sonia came in and was clear with her plan to play.
"It's hard in the beginning to set every detail in the game but I feel like it's very clear. If you play for Chelsea you want to win, you should win.
"I feel like there's moments in this game where we do very well and moments where we don't so we still need to work."
'Ultimately about getting off to a winning start'published at 20:59 British Summer Time 20 September 2024
20:59 BST 20 September 2024
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa
Ellen White Former England striker on BBC Two
Sonia Bompastor has got that first win under her belt. They will look at it, analyse it and see where they could have improved. Ultimately though it is about getting off to a winning start and that is what Chelsea have done tonight.
'Chelsea showed they could suffer and grind out a result.'published at 20:57 British Summer Time 20 September 2024
20:57 BST 20 September 2024
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa
Fara Williams Former England midfielder on BBC Two
Sonia Bompastor said at the beginning of the game that today was all about winning and they did what they had to do today to get the win. They didn't put away the result like we are used to seeing them do.
They made lots of chances and got the goal, the second half Aston Villa put them on the back foot, but they showed they could suffer and grind out a result.
'Strikers usually get the plaudits but Hampton was fabulous'published at 20:55 British Summer Time 20 September 2024
20:55 BST 20 September 2024
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa
Rachel Brown-Finnis Former England goalkeeper on BBC Two
Hannah Hampton pulled out two brilliant saves right at the death to keep her team ahead and make sure they went on to take all three points. It is usually the strikers that get the plaudits but today Hannah Hampton was fabulous.
'D'Angelo gets up brilliantly'published at 20:51 British Summer Time 20 September 2024
20:51 BST 20 September 2024
FT: Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa
Rachel Brown-Finnis Former England goalkeeper on BBC Two
What drama! Sabrina D'Angelo gets up absolutely brilliantly, gets up and shows her teammates how it is done. Hannah Hampton with another wonderful, fingertip save to push it over the bar!
What a moment that would have been! The goalkeeper is up, Sabrina D'Angelo sends a lovely header towards Hannah Hampton's goal, but Hampton tips it over.
WSL highlights: Chelsea edge Villa in season opener
Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Kingsmeadow
Sonia Bompastor led Chelsea to victory in her first Women's Super League match as manager as they narrowly beat Aston Villa at Kingsmeadow.
A stunning first-half strike from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was enough for three points as the Swede cut inside and struck the ball perfectly into the far corner.
But Chelsea were hanging on by a thread in stoppage time as goalkeeper Hannah Hampton first clawed away Rachel Daly's header, before tipping an effort from her opposite number Sabrina D'Angelo over the crossbar.
It was a dramatic end to the WSL's opening match which marked Bompastor's arrival and a new era at Chelsea.
The defending champions are seeking a sixth WSL title in a row - but a first without influential former manager Emma Hayes.
Banners were on display around Kingsmeadow marking Bompastor's "revolution" and there were new faces in the Frenchwoman's starting XI, including a debut for England defender Lucy Bronze.
It was also a first WSL match in charge for new Villa boss Robert de Pauw and he put his stamp on the team, with them showing plenty of promise in London.
Villa debutant Missy Bo Kearns missed a huge chance early on when she sent fellow summer g Chasity Grant's cross sailing over the bar and Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton had to be alert on occasions in the second half.
However, Chelsea's quality ultimately shone through, with Kaneryd's effort a fine goal to seal victory, marking a superb start to the Bompastor era.
"Today maybe we should have been more efficient and that would change the game. Winning is important for sure," said Bompastor afterwards.
"We still have to work on some bits. I'm just happy with the three points, it's always good to start with a win."
Excitement had been building as champions Chelsea prepared to open the new WSL season at home, in front of a sell-out crowd of 4,337 at Kingsmeadow.
The streets outside the ground were bustling with fans wearing this season's new kits and displaying plenty of new names on the backs of their shirts.
Bronze's was one of them. Her arrival grabbed the headlines with the five-time Champions League winner, 32, a big addition to Bompastor's squad and she had a solid display on her debut.
forward Sandy Baltimore was another exciting g and she showed her pedigree from the start, running at Villa's backline and dribbling with the ball at speed.
But Villa had some stardust of their own too.
Kearns left childhood club Liverpool in the summer in the hope of regular gametime, and in her preferred, advanced midfield role.
She was granted her wish by De Pauw and took her opportunity, causing problems when Villa won the ball back in the first half and linking up nicely with fellow debutant Grant – a lively presence on the right wing.
Meanwhile, new Villa left-back Paula Tomas was kept busy by the explosive Kaneryd and goalkeeper D’Angelo had to be wary of efforts from Guro Reiten, Kadeisha Buchanan and Erin Cuthbert.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper D’Angelo almost scored what would have been a sensational goal had Hampton not kept out her header in the dying seconds, when she went up for a free-kick.
"If she had scored that [goal] then I would have carried her off the pitch on my shoulders!" said manager De Pauw afterwards.
