Sonia Bompastor was delighted that her Chelsea side achieved Champions League qualification with a 3-1 win over Leicester City on Sunday afternoon, and praised the contributions of Lauren James and fit-again Aggie Beever-Jones.
A header from Sam Kerr after 13 minutes set the Blues off on the right footing, and a brilliant five-minute brace from Lauren James secured all three points at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes hit back with what proved a consolation goal before the break, and Chelsea were not able to add to the scoreline in the second half. Bompastor explained that fatigue levels played a role in our performance following the interval, especially towards the end of a long campaign.
'I’m really pleased with the result,' said the head coach.
'It was a really important one. We are now qualified for next season's Champions League, which is crucial for a club like Chelsea. And the first half was good in terms of the performance. We could have done better in the second half.
'But coming into this stage of the season, the bodies are mentally and physically a little bit tired. And as much as we want to put in a really good performance, sometimes it's more difficult. We need to stay consistent in our performances and be demanding of each other, and that's the best way to be in a good place for the future.'
Two goals in quick succession from James put the contest against bottom-of-the-league Leicester beyond doubt, and Bompastor acknowledged the talent of our number ten.
While the performance from LJ stood out today, the boss underlined that her forward has been playing at the top of her game for some time now.
'I think everyone knows the quality LJ has,' Bompastor continued. 'She's a world-class player. When she's playing at that level, she's one of the best in the world, for sure. It's good to have her on my team. It's good to coach her. I enjoyed watching her performance today.
'She’s been doing a lot for weeks now. In terms of the women's game, it's good to have a player like her for the fans, her team-mates, but also for the players who are playing against her. It's good to see a player of that level.'
After completing her recovery from injury, Aggie Beever-Jones was introduced on the hour mark against Leicester and she made a nuisance of herself in the opposition penalty area. Bompastor explained why the young striker is a welcome addition back in the side, before looking ahead to next weekend's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
'It’s really important for the team to have a player like Aggie back,' said the coach. 'She had a good performance when she came in and made an immediate impact. It’s good to have more options in the team going into the last games of the season.
'We know next Sunday we'll be facing a top team. We are confident. We know the quality we have in the squad. They also have a lot of quality, so it will be a big game against two top sides. We will have our fans in the stadium with us, which will be good. And we need to make sure we put in our best performance if we want to have a chance to go to the final.'