Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the Women's Super League season by thrashing Everton 5-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday.

They took the lead in the 14th minute when Kadeisha Buchanan's teasing delivery was headed beyond Courtney Brosnan by Agnes Beever-Jones.

The visitors then struck twice shortly before the break, first through Erin Cuthbert, who dispossessed Veatriki Sarri before sending a left-footed effort into the bottom corner. 

Guro Reiten then got herself on the scoresheet, squeezing the ball in at Brosnan's front post after being picked out by Sjoeke Nusken's searching ball into the box. 

Chelsea continued to dominate after the interval, but had to wait until the 82nd minute to notch their fourth through Wieke Kaptein's fine effort into the roof of the net. 

Just over a minute later, Ashley Lawrence rounded off a fine team move to tap home Oriane Jean-Francois' cross to seal yet another win for Sonia Bompastor's Blues. 

Data Debrief: Brilliant Blues march on

The triumph saw manager Bompastor become the third manager to win their first five games in the WSL, after David Parker and Jonas Eidevall. 

And it was arguably the most dominant win her tenure. The Blues racked up 26 shots compared to Everton's six, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 3.16 compared to their opponents' measly 0.37.

Chelsea have now equalled their longest winning run in the WSL against a single team, with the victory over the Toffees their 10th in a row, going level with their current win streaks against Tottenham and West Ham. 

Chelsea and Emma Hayes have once again fallen short of securing a place in the final of the Champions League. 

There will be a feeling of déjà vu as Barcelona stopped Chelsea at this stage of the competition last season and seem to be the Blues’ Achilles' heel.

Hayes, who is leaving at the end of season to manage the US Women's National team, was hoping she could complete her last season with Champions League glory, the only trophy to elude her during an illustrious spell at Chelsea, but it was not to be.

Chelsea had pulled off a remarkable result in the first leg and were leading 1-0 at the halfway point of the tie. 

With a record crowd of 39,398 roaring them on, it felt like Saturday could be the night on which Chelsea changed their fortunes in this competition.

However, the Catalan holders showed their big-game mentality and Ballon d’or winner Aitana Bonmati had cancelled out Chelsea's lead in the tie within 25 minutes at Stamford Bridge.

The drama ensued from that point on with two huge decisions by referee Iuliana Demetrescu sealing the Blues’ fate.

Kadeisha Buchanan was given her marching orders when she received a somewhat harsh second yellow card just before the hour mark for a foul on Salma Paralluelo, then Fridolina Rolfo scored the all-important goal from the spot when Ashley Lawrence was adjudged to have fouled Bonmati.

Hayes felt aggrieved by the calls made by the Romanian referee and made her feelings known to the officials at the full-time whistle, when she could be seen mouthing the words; ‘we’ve been robbed’.

Hayes could not hide her disappointment when speaking to the media after the tie and had strong words for UEFA.

“I didn’t feel we got the opportunity to lose the game, that was taken away,” said Hayes.

“I was surprised when I saw her [Demetrescu] selected because she’s famous for easy cards and I think that [Buchanan's sending-off] is probably the worst decision in UEFA Women’s Champions League history.

“So when you get such a shocking official decision, there’s nothing you can do about it. 

“It’s hard enough when we’ve got 11 against them [Barcelona], but when you’ve got 10 it’s virtually impossible.

“Even Barcelona players said to us they knew the referee was helpful for them. I didn’t think it was a foul [from Buchanan] let alone a yellow card. I’m gutted for the players, we were robbed."

On the red card, Hayes added: “I was stood there and I looked at the fourth official and I said, ‘Surely that will be checked?’ and she said, ‘It can’t on a yellow’.

“But as I said, I think the toughest thing to take is that we didn’t lose it. 

“There’s nothing you can do when there’s such a terrible decision and it’s already hard enough. They are a top team. When that’s taken out of your hands, that’s a tough one to take for the players.”

Hayes may have reason to question the appointment of Demetrescu as the data shows she has awarded four penalties in three UEFA Women's Champions League games this season, more than any other referee. 

Barcelona have now reached the final for the fourth consecutive year and will face either eight-time champions Lyon or Paris Saint-Germain, the finalists from 2015 and 2017.

Bonmati shared her elation about winning the tie with DAZN after the game, saying: "A little bit lucky but sometimes you have to shoot in the box and you never know."

"It’s amazing, another final," Bonmati added as her team-mates danced and sang in the rain in front of the travelling fans. 

"It wasn’t easy because we had a tough team in front of us. We had to sweat our T-shirts to achieve it. I’m proud of my team and let’s go in for another final."

This win saw Barcelona earn their fifth clean sheet from 10 matches in the competition this season, a higher total than any other team has managed.

Emma Hayes had mixed feelings despite seeing Chelsea condemn holders Barcelona to a first home defeat for five years and edge closer to the Champions League final.

Erin Cuthbert’s first-half goal clinched a precious 1-0 semi-final first-leg win at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys to set the Women’s Super League leaders up perfectly for the return at Stamford Bridge next Saturday.

It was a first competitive victory for the Blues over Barca, who knocked them out at the same stage last season on their way to a second European title, and came courtesy of a superb defensive effort – but boss Hayes was left wondering what might have been.

She told DAZN: “It’s just half-time. Nobody should get carried away with that and to be honest, I’m disappointed we didn’t get the second goal.

“It’s a difficult place to come and they carried out the game plan I asked them to do – so from that perspective, I’m happy.”

The Blues had to soak up early pressure but did so to such effect that Barca did not muster a single shot on target during a tense encounter.

Cuthbert’s 40th-minute strike gave the visitors the lead and, having seen French referee Stephanie Frappart reverse her decision to award a penalty against Kadeisha Buchanan for handball after the break, they might have increased their advantage.

Salma Paralluelo and substitute Alexia Putellas could have salvaged a draw amid a late flurry but Chelsea held firm.

Hayes is well aware of the threat Barcelona will pose in the second leg.

Hayes said: “I think I know how to come away from home and get a result. We have under-performed against Barcelona at home.

“Barcelona have another level in them and I think that’s clear. Maybe they don’t feel they were at their best today and we have to anticipate that.”

Erin Cuthbert gave Chelsea a priceless first-leg lead in their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona after inflicting a first home defeat for five years on the holders.

Cuthbert’s 40th-minute strike was enough to secure a 1-0 win at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys – Barca’s first defeat of the season – on an afternoon when the Blues produced a superb defensive display to deny the free-scoring defending champions a single shot on target.

Things might have been different, however, had referee Stephanie Frappart not been advised to review her decision to award the hosts a second-half penalty for handball to leave Emma Hayes and her players with something to defend at Stamford Bridge next Saturday.

Jess Carter and Kadeisha Buchanan had to be resilient at the heart of the Blues defence early on, although it took a well-timed intervention by Ingrid Engen to prevent Johanna Rytting Kaneryd from making the most of Cuthbert’s 10th-minute ball over the top.

Carter had to be in the right place at the right time to block Salma Paralluelo’s 16th-minute shot after a pacy break by Aitana Bonmati and Buchanan was equally alert to deny the same player after she had burst clear six minutes later.

The visitors were growing into the game with Mayra Ramirez making in-roads down the left and they got their reward five minutes before the break when Sjoeke Nusken held the ball up and then squared for Cuthbert, whose shot looped up off Engel and over keeper Catalina Coll.

But they looked to be in trouble seconds later when the referee awarded a penalty against Buchanan after she had blocked Patri Guijarro’s goal-bound effort with her arm, only for a lengthy VAR review, which showed that Paralluelo had been offside in the build-up, to come to their rescue.

Paralluelo volleyed horribly wide after being picked out at the far post by Caroline Graham Hansen and substitute Alexia Putellas missed the target with salvation beckoning with the final kick of the game.