Bompastor hails ´magic´ James after last-gasp winner for Chelsea

Sonia Bompastor lauded the “magic” contact of Lauren James after the Chelsea star’s stoppage-time winner towards Everton on Sunday.

Chelsea appeared set to drop factors for simply the second time this Girls’s Tremendous League marketing campaign, till James fired into the underside nook from 25 yards within the 93rd minute.

Mayra Ramirez had earlier cancelled out Kelly Gago’s 51st-minute opener for Everton as Chelsea seemed set to not declare all three factors for the primary time since their 1-1 draw with Leicester Metropolis in December.

Nonetheless, James stepped up because the hero with a strike that kissed the woodwork on the best way in, a lot to the delight of Chelsea head coach Bompastor.

“I’ve already stated loads about LJ, her potential and all of her skills,” Bompastor stated. “If we didn’t have her on the pitch till the tip, we couldn’t have received the sport. That’s easy.

“You must have these artistic gamers and gamers with these skills to win video games. She simply confirmed her magic.

“She has been in a position to play two 90-minute video games, so she’s getting again to essentially fine condition.

“She additionally defended loads for the staff and that’s additionally one thing we’ve been speaking about collectively to ensure she works actually onerous for the staff.”

LAUREN JAMES IN STOPPAGE TIME! #CFCW pic.twitter.com/mxc55R5tSG

— Chelsea FC Girls (@ChelseaFCW) February 16, 2025

The win stored Chelsea seven factors clear on the WSL summit, having recorded their twenty sixth win throughout their final 27 matches in all competitions.

“Typically it’s good for feelings, even for the followers or the gamers, to reside these feelings,” Bompastor added.

“It’s a must to struggle till the tip. As you’ll be able to see from the start of the season, typically I should not have numerous reactions on the targets and all the pieces. However, this one, I reacted a bit extra.”

It was the second time in per week that Everton had taken the lead earlier than falling to Chelsea, who got here from behind to win 4-1 of their FA Cup assembly earlier than this fixture.

For Bompastor, there was a way of “deja vu”, although the ever-reliant Blues as soon as once more discovered a option to win and preserve their hopes of an unbeaten WSL season alive.

“We knew in transition Everton might harm us. Once we strive typically to push and rating a purpose, we depart more room and so they had the chance to use the house,” she continued.

“They’d a very good efficiency and so they got here again [from the FA Cup game last weekend] with one other mindset and high quality out of possession.

“It’s deja vu as a result of it’s the identical case as final week [coming from a goal down]. As we speak, once more, we believed it was attainable to return again and win this recreation. That is what I’m most happy with.”