Chelsea returned to winning ways in an emphatic 6-0 victory over St. Pölten in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Chelsea made light work of Austrian side St. Pölten on the road, a team who are yet to score a goal in the league phase so far. The Blues now sit in second place in the Champions League league phase standings, and will be content with the goal difference cushion gathered against St. Pölten.
Sonia Bompastor offered a new-look lineup, as Lucy Bronze played alongside Naomi Girma in the centre back position. Star striker Sam Kerr earned her first Chelsea start since returning from her ACL injury. Ellie Carpenter and Sandy Baltimore both returned to the starting eleven for the European clash.
The Lineups
STP: Schlüter; Krizaj, Nagy, Ebert, Klein, Gutmann; Ollivier, Elmore, Laino, Peneau, Gutmann; Brunold
CHE: Peng; Carpenter, Bronze, Girma, Baltimore; Macario, Walsh, Kaptein; Rytting Kaneryd, Kerr, Thompson
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The Action
Chelsea started the fixture in strong form, dictating possession and pressing themselves high into the attacking areas. Despite their struggling start in front of goal which saw Sam Kerr blunder a sitting chance, Wieke Kaptein was able to split open the scoreline in the 13th minute.
Naomi Girma grabbed her first goal in Chelsea blue after connecting with Kerr’s header, but the finish was ruled out due to the Australian’s offside position in the build up. Chelsea were able to capitalise on their possession dominance just moments before the stroke of half time as Catarina Macario sent a pin-point strike into the back of the net to make it 2-0.
The Blues caused further damage in the 52rd minute as Macario bagged her brace through a penalty won by Alyssa Thompson. If it wasn’t already, the rest of the fixture proceeded to unfold as one-way traffic as Chelsea continued to knock on the door of St Pölten’s low block. Kerr finally grabbed her goal in the 75th minute after a pile of earlier chances.
Lauren James made her return to football after a lengthy recovery from an injury sustained at Euro 2025, and showed her class and importance immediately. The English star’s long-range strike went down as an own goal to Lisa Elbert, chalking the score to 5-0 by the 86th minute.
However, it wasn’t done there as Chelsea punished St. Pölten once more with just minutes left on the clock. Macario’s clever outside-of-the-foot ball met the roaming Niamh Charles in the left channel, who had her classy cross hammered home by the head of Kerr.
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Blues find their bite despite struggles in front of goal
It is safe to say that Chelsea have been hanging out for a result like this recently. Despite Arsenal’s disgruntlement with the 1-1 result in last weekend’s London derby, Chelsea will be kicking themselves for not capitalising on their chances and putting the game to bed in the first half.
As was the story in Austria, as St. Pölten sat deep in a low block and managed to frusrate the English champions for chunks of the game. Registering 42 shots, a 6-0 result is exactly the result Chelsea would be expecting from this fixture, but it is still room to celebrate.
The Blues wore down St. Pölten with aggression and strong squad depth, and having Kerr and Macario on the scoresheet is exactly what Bompastor will want to see heading into a tough run of fixtures.
Chelsea look ahead to the ghost of Barcelona past
Chelsea, now second in the Champions League standings, now look ahead to their dreaded fixture – a tie against Barcelona. The Blues lost just three games last season under Bompastor, three of which came in the Champions League and two of which came against Barcelona.
Despite the recent humblings handed to them at the hands of the Spanish champions, next week’s fixture provides an opportunity for Chelsea to show what they are made of in a one-legged fixture. The Blues will be relying on the home advantage of Stamford Bridge, as well as the memories of a narrow 1-0 victory over Barcelona two seasons ago.