Sam Kerr (left) is embraced by Johanna Rytting Kaneryd after they combined to put Chelsea ahead in Wolfsburg.Photograph: Filip Singer/EPA
**Chelsea** clinched an automatic place in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals by coming from behind to stun **Wolfsburg** and avoid having to contest February’s playoffs.
Sam Kerr won the game with her 20th Champions League goal, heading in Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s cross. Chelsea survived a late scare when the German side struck the crossbar in the 94th minute, but will now contest the last eight in March.
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Related: [Arsenal crush Leuven but must settle for Women’s Champions League playoffs](https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/arsenal-crush-leuven-must-settle-215723177.html)
**Manchester United**, who were already guaranteed at least a playoff spot before kick-off, also enjoyed a memorable away night as they beat **Juventus** to claim one of the top seeding positions for the playoffs.
Jess Park’s fine, first-half strike into the top corner in Turin was enough to give Marc Skinner’s side victory and propel them up to sixth in their debut campaign in Europe.
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With all nine matches in this final round of league phase fixtures kicking off simultaneously on Wednesday, Chelsea’s night began disappointingly as the two-time former champions Wolfsburg capitalised on some sloppy defending from the English league winners to take an early lead through Alexandra Popp’s driven finish.
Chelsea rallied, though, and a determined Lucy Bronze leapt highest to nod them level from a set piece before half-time, and Alyssa Thompson struck a post for the London club after the break before Kerr’s header won it.
The draw for the knockout phase will be made on Thursday, mapping out the pathway for all 12 remaining clubs hoping to reach May’s final in Oslo.
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The top two – Barcelona and OL Lyonnes – know it will not be possible for them to meet before the final, while Chelsea, in third, and Bayern Munich, in fourth, will also be in opposite halves of the draw and cannot meet either of the top two before the semi-finals. United join Arsenal as the top two seeds for the playoff round.