bbc.co.uk

Kerr scores on first start in two years as Chelsea win

Sam KerrGetty Images

At a glance

Sam Kerr scores twice on her first Chelsea start in almost two years

Catarina Macario scores her first goals this term after Wieke Kaptein's opener

Lauren James has a hand in a goal on her injury return as Chelsea go second in the table on seven points

PLAYER RATINGS

Alex Brotherton

BBC Sport journalist

Sam Kerr scored twice on her first Chelsea start in almost two years as they cruised to victory against St Polten in the Women's Champions League.

After missing several earlier chances, the Australian striker finished from close range in the 75th minute to claim her side's fourth goal, and headed home her second in added time.

A 13th-minute Wieke Kaptein strike and two from the impressive Catarina Macario had put Chelsea in control against their Austrian opponents.

And Lauren James also made an impact off the bench in a fifth goal for Sonia Bompastor's side four minutes from time.

The England forward entered the action in the 76th minute for her first appearance since the Euro 2025 final, and an ambitious long-range effort was diverted in by St Polten defender Lisa Ebert.

Chelsea had 40 shots in the match, 17 on target, and sealed a crushing success when Kerr nodded in the sixth from a Niamh Charles cross.

They were dominant from the start and led when Kaptein met Ellie Carpenter's cut-back with a first-time finish into the bottom corner.

Macario doubled the lead just before the break with a left-footed shot across goalkeeper Carina Schluter from the edge of the penalty area.

The United States striker scored her second from the penalty spot shortly after the break after Alyssa Thompson was felled, before Kerr collected a pass from Kaptein to slot home past Schluter.

Kerr, making her first Chelsea start since December 2023 after returning from an ACL injury in September, wasted three presentable opportunities in the first half and smashed another close-range effort over the bar in the second period.

Naomi Girma thought she had scored on her first appearance of the season when her header hit the post, rebounded off the defender and into the goal off the back of her head.

But the 32nd-minute effort was belatedly ruled out because Kerr was offside in the build-up.

Macario came close to completing her hat-trick, but her audacious free-kick cannoned back off the woodwork.

Schluter made a string of fine saves too for the hosts, but the late goals put the gloss on a clinical Chelsea display, giving them two wins and a draw in the competition, while St Polten remain bottom of the table without a point.

Analysis: Kerr shows class is permanent

Having not started a club match in 692 days, Kerr looked a little rusty.

Although the 32-year-old had scored twice in nine cameo appearances this season, starting a match was a different proposition.

Her wayward finishing and two instances of straying offside were uncharacteristic, but the way she touched Kaptein's cross out of her feet before firing home showed she has not lost any of her instincts.

The second goal was vintage Kerr - the awareness to drop off the defender to find space to meet Charles' cross and the accuracy to guide a header high into the net.

After a weekend that saw her side surrender top spot in the Women's Super League to Manchester City, boss Bompastor will take great encouragement not only from Kerr's exploits but James' too as she immediately reminded everyone of her confidence to attack and shoot from distance.

Chelsea are yet to hit the heights of last season, but they are now second in the league phase table with seven points and surging towards the quarter-finals.

What's next for these teams?

On matchday four Chelsea will take on last season's runners-up Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on 20 November (20:00 GMT), while St Polten travel to Oslo, Norway, to face Valerenga on 19 November (20:00 GMT).

The Player Rater cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable JavaScript or try another browser.

Player of the match

C. Macário

8.67

St. Pölten

Chelsea

33C. Schlüter

6.00

10K. Elmore

5.00

16F. Nagy

4.47

8V. Laino

4.47

27S. Gutmann

4.33

13C. Brunold

4.17

18A. Woelki

4.14

11M. Rukavina

4.13

15L. Peneau

4.11

14E. Seiro

4.07

25A. Ollivier

4.05

9I. Aistleitner

4.00

22J. Klein

3.94

21I. Križaj

3.94

5T. Vračević

3.93

6L. Ebert

3.89

Back to team tabs

9C. Macário

8.67

22L. Bronze

8.14

19J. Rytting Kaneryd

8.13

2E. Carpenter

8.02

10L. James

8.00

18W. Kaptein

7.95

12A. Thompson

7.71

21N. Charles

7.67

20S. Kerr

7.65

32L. Potter

7.63

30K. Walsh

7.59

16N. Girma

7.50

5V. Buurman

7.35

17S. Baltimore

7.34

6S. Nüsken

7.27

1L. Peng

6.79

Back to team tabs

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

A graphic that reads 'Follow our women's football TikTok' with a picture of a mobile phone

Head here to get involved