Sonia Bompastor was frustrated after conceding a late leveller against West Ham United in the Women's Super League, but highlighted the need to protect her Chelsea players. 

Maika Hamano and Aggie Beever-Jones had put the Blues on course to move eight points clear at the summit of the standings, but the Hammers responded before the break. 

Shekiera Martinez reduced the deficit in the 43rd minute before she headed home the equalising goal in the first minute of second-half stoppage time to snatch the visitors a draw. 

The result saw Chelsea drop points at home for the first time this campaign in the league, while it was the first time in 90 WSL matches that the Blues failed to win a top flight game when leading by more than one goal. 

Ahead of kick-off, Bompastor made seven changes to the side that completed their sensational Champions League comeback against Manchester City, and the Chelsea boss explained her reasoning for the wholesale alterations. 

"Obviously, it's frustrating," reflected Bompastor after the draw. "I think if you analyse the game – even though I haven't watched the game back yet – I think we created a lot of opportunities. In the first half, especially in the first 30 minutes, we could have scored maybe three or four goals.

"I think if we were able to do that, especially in the first 30 minutes, the game would be over. But again, I think I have already said that in some previous games, when you are not able to be clinical enough, you just give some hope to the opposition, especially in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

"We dropped the intensity a little bit and conceded the goal because we were not switched on enough from a throw-in. And the second half was not good enough in terms of performance from our side."

The points are shared in this London derby. #CFCW pic.twitter.com/B2yvIUi5Yr

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) March 30, 2025

Bompastor added that after four gruelling games with Man City over the last few weeks, it was key to consider player welfare against West Ham on Sunday. 

Along with those seven changes made before the game, captain Millie Bright and Erin Cuthbert were brought off at half-time.

Though the result did not go in their favour, Bompastor stood by her decision to make those substitutions, saying: "I don't have any regrets.

"My job is to make sure we just try to win every game, but in the back of my mind, also after this really intense block, I tried to protect some players, because it's important also to think about their health.

"I think if you look at Millie [Bright], she played every single minute in every single game in this block. I think probably today was also a danger for her to stay on the pitch. She was just exhausted.

"This game was a quick turnaround [after Thursday]. I think sometimes people don't realise it, but when you play the game we played on the Thursday with a quick turnaround and the emotions the players lived on the pitch, I think in terms of mental and physical aspects."