Even without injured Matildas superstar Sam Kerr, Chelsea have put themselves back in the driving seat for a fifth consecutive Women's Super League title.
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Kerr has been ruled out of the rest of the season - and the Matildas' Olympics tilt - as she recovers from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but her club side moved to the top of the WSL with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
Villa played virtually the entire game with 10 players after the sending off of goalkeeper Anna Leat.
Emma Hayes' side squeaked ahead of Manchester City - who include Matildas Alanna Kennedy and Mary Fowler in their squad - at the summit with four games to play.
The are top on goal difference after strikes from Aggie Beever-Jones, Maika Hamano and Kadeisha Buchanan.
The game turned on the decision to dismiss Leat when she handled outside the box in a desperate attempt to keep Sjoeke Nusken's effort from rolling in.
The New Zealand international was herself deputising for injured No.1 Daphne van Domselaar, leading to an unscripted debut for Villa's third-choice goalkeeper - the 17-year-old Sophia Poor.
Chelsea lead City at the top of the league by two goals, with manager Hayes vindicated in her decision to make seven changes from the team that lost to Manchester United in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.
Australian Associated Press
