Photo: Chelsea FCW / X
A trademark goal from Sam Kerr sealed a 2-1 win for Chelsea over German giants Wolfsburg on Thursday morning AEDT and importantly also confirmed their path straight through to the quarter-finals of the Women’s Champions League.
Matildas captain Kerr showed no signs of rust as she showed sharp movement and brilliant striking instincts to latch onto Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s cross from the right flank and direct a looping header into the back of the net.
It came after Lucy Bronze cancelled out Alexandra Popp’s opener on the cusp of half-time as Chelsea finished the league phase with a win.
The Blues progress alongside Barcelona, Lyon and Bayern Munich as one of the top four, while Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Wolfsburg, Paris FC, Atletico Madrid and OH Leuven will now participate in a playoff round.
“I’ve been running out of superlatives about Sam Kerr in terms of importance in this Chelsea team,” former Leeds striker Lucy Ward on Disney+.
“She doesn’t stop going and she might’ve got the goal to win the game.”
This goal saw Kerr become the first Australian to notch 20 goals in the Champions League – men’s or women’s – and now sits just one goal behind Fran Kirby in terms of Chelsea Women’s top scorers in the competition too.
Matildas star Ellie Carpenter also started for Sonia Bompastor’s team in this match, playing 54 minutes in a more advanced role in front of Lucy Bronze down the right.
Elsewhere in Champions League action, all three of Arsenal’s Aussies featured in a 3-0 win at OH Leuven, secured by goals from Olivia Smith, Beth Mead and an own-goal from Saar Janssen.
Kyra Cooney-Cross played a full 90 minutes in midfield, completing an impressive 94% of her 62 passes, while Steph Catley played 65 minutes and Caitlin Food emerged off the bench for the final half hour, registering three shots.
Winonah Heatley was an unused substitute in Roma’s 6-1 demolition of St Polten, while Teagan Micah took in Lyon’s 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid from the bench.
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