Catarina Macario celebratesGetty Images
Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist
Catarina Macario's first-half penalty was enough to earn Chelsea victory against Tottenham Hotpsur and put the newly crowned Women's Super League champions on the brink of an unbeaten season.
Sonia Bompastor made nine changes to the Chelsea side that beat Manchester United on Wednesday to secure a sixth straight WSL title, and that showed as the visitors lacked intensity and fluidity in the first half.
Robert Vilahamn's Tottenham repeatedly found space in behind a makeshift Chelsea backline that included wingers Ashley Lawrence and Guro Reiten at full-back and midfielder Sjoeke Nusken at centre-back.
The movement of Spurs captain Bethany England in particular caused issues - on several occasions the former Chelsea striker dropped deep to link up play and spread the ball to wide areas.
But Chelsea grew into the game as the half progressed and capitalised on their first real moment of quality.
Macario showed quick feet to side-step Molly Bartrip just inside the penalty area before she was sandwiched by the Spurs defender and Ashleigh Neville.
The United States attacker sent Lize Kop the wrong way from the spot to break the deadlock, though Spurs should have drawn level soon after.
A lapse in concentration from Lawrence allowed Charli Grant to jump the Chelsea offside trap, but the Australia midfielder fired straight at Hannah Hampton when bearing down on goal.
Chelsea looked more energised after the break, though Eveliina Summanen - back in the Spurs line-up following suspension - had Chelsea hearts in mouths with a free-kick that had Hampton scrambling as it flew narrowly wide of the post.
Maika Hamano forced Kop into a fine fingertip save with a long-range strike, before the Japan forward spooned an effort over the crossbar after being played in by Macario.
Kop produced a fine double stop late on to first deny Lawrence, then Nusken on the rebound.
Bompastor introduced regulars Nathalie Bjorn, Naomi Girma and Wieke Kaptein as Chelsea came away a one-goal winning margin for the ninth time this season.
If they avoid defeat against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Chelsea will become the first team to go unbeaten in a 22-game WSL campaign.
Tottenham have now gone nine games without a win and are on track to finish 10th, their lowest WSL finish.
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Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea
Starting XI
1L. Kop
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29A. Neville
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5M. Bartrip
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15C. Hunt
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3E. Morris
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11O. Holdt
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25E. Summanen
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24D. Spence
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7J. Naz
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9B. England
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2C. Grant
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31L. Gunning-Williams
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6A. Nildén
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17M. Thomas
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13M. Vinberg
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Starting XI
24H. Hampton
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11G. Reiten
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6S. Nüsken
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25M. Mpome
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12A. Lawrence
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8E. Cuthbert
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27O. Jean-François
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23M. Hamano
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9C. Macário
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19J. Rytting Kaneryd
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2M. Fishel
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33A. Beever-Jones
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14N. Björn
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53L. Brown
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16N. Girma
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18W. Kaptein
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