Chelsea women rout United to win 5th straight title as manager Emma Hayes exits for US

May 18, 2024 GMT
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Chelsea manager Emma Hayes celebrates after Mayra Ramirez scores their side's fourth goal of the game, during the English Women's Super League soccer match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford, in Manchester, England, Saturday May 18, 2024. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
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Chelsea manager Emma Hayes celebrates after Mayra Ramirez scores their side's fourth goal of the game, during the English Women's Super League soccer match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford, in Manchester, England, Saturday May 18, 2024. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Mayra Ramirez scored twice as Chelsea routed Manchester United 6-0 to clinch its fifth straight Women’s Super League title in a triumphant sendoff for manager Emma Hayes on Saturday.

Hayes ends her 12-year spell at Chelsea on a high note before heading across the Atlantic to take over as coach of the U.S. women’s team — shortly before the Americans play in the Paris Olympics.

Hayes has won 15 major trophies at Chelsea, including seven WSLs.

Chelsea and Manchester City entered Saturday’s final round level on points, but with the London club ahead on goal difference. City beat Aston Villa 2-1 in Birmingham with both games kicking off at the same time.

The Chelsea fans didn’t need to check the City score, however, as Ramirez netted in the second minute. First-half goals followed from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Sjoeke Nüsken then Ramirez bagged her second to make it 4-0 before the break.

Melanie Leupolz and Fran Kirby — also in her last game for Chelsea — scored in the second half.

This season, Chelsea was on course for a quadruple of trophies. But Hayes’ team lost to Arsenal in the WSL Cup final, fell to United in the FA Cup semifinals, and was ousted by Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semifinals.

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