# World’s first $1m women’s footballer Girma has Chelsea debut cut short

  
Sun 2 Mar 2025 12.58 EST  
Last modified on Mon 3 Mar 2025 00.10 EST

The USA centre-back Naomi Girma’s debut for Chelsea ended early as she was brought off with an injury in their 2-2 draw with Brighton.

The , who signed for Chelsea from San Diego Wave in January for a $1.1m (£874,000) fee and has had to wait patiently for her debut while recovering from a calf injury that caused her to miss the , had to be withdrawn just before the hour. It was an absorbing contest in which a hard‑working Brighton side gave Chelsea more than just a scare.

The result maintained Chelsea’s unbeaten season so far in all competitions under Sonia Bompastor, but they dropped points in the league for only the second time. Chelsea went early on, thanks to an emphatic volley from France’s Sandy Baltimore, but the Netherlands left wing-back Marisa Olislagers drew Brighton level in the 22nd minute from a tight angle.

Chelsea fell behind before half‑time when Vicky Losada scored for the hosts, but Lauren James scored from close range on the rebound with 29 minutes remaining to move Chelsea within just seven games of completing an entire Women’s Super League campaign unbeaten.

Chelsea’s survival hopes will, though, have been boosted ever so slightly by another defeat for second-bottom Aston Villa, who have lost three league games out of three since the arrival of their head coach, Natalia Arroyo. The Spaniard, who has tasted victory with Villa in the Women’s FA Cup, saw her side lose 2-0 at home against Everton, who are now 10 points clear of the relegation zone and looking very likely to be playing WSL football next season.

## Manchester City

Also picked up an away victory, with Vivianne Miedema and Aoba Fujino on the scoresheet for Gareth Taylor’s team, either side of a Bethany England equaliser for Tottenham. The Japan winger Fujino showed good skill to fire in the winner with 12 minutes remaining.

## Arsenal

Trailing by two goals to West Ham twice, the north London side recovered to win a thrilling game 4-3 and remain third in the table. The England winger Chloe Kelly scored the first goal of her second spell as an Arsenal player since signing for the club on transfer deadline day in January, but by that stage West Ham had already been 2-0 up after Amber Tysiak scored from two first-half corners.

Shekiera Martinez swept West Ham into a 3-1 lead shortly after the break but a powerful strike from Katie McCabe, an angled header from Leah Williamson and a Mariona Caldentey penalty enabled Arsenal to fight back and win one of the best games of the WSL season.
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