Chelsea vs Paris FC LIVE: Women’s Champions League result and reaction as Sam Kerr leads Blues to big win
Chelsea 4-1 Paris FC: Sam Kerr’s heroics get the Blues bck to winning ways in the Champions League
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Chelsea secured their first victory of this season’s Women’s Champions League in an emphatic win over Paris FC at Stamford Bridge. Needing a positive result after being held to a draw against Real Madrid last time out, the Blues took the lead through Sam Kerr on the half hour mark. Chelsea’s captain for the night poking home Lauren James’ threaded pass into the box.
Eight minutes later Paris responded. Thea Graboval leaping into the air from a corner to float the ball over Ann-Katrin Berger and send the visitors into the break on level terms.
Berger made up for that goal by denying Mathilde Bourdieu early in the second half before Kerr poked the Blues ahead two minutes later. She completed her hat-trick by chipping the ball over the goalkeeper and opening up a comfortable lead for the hosts.
There was more to come though as Sophie Ingle came off the bench, met a corner ball with a volley in stoppage time and slotted her effort into the far bottom corner. Chelsea remain second in the group but they’re back to winning ways in Europe.
Relive the Women’s Champions League action below:
Chelsea 0-0 Paris FC
6 mins: Thiney is getting really stuck into this match. She shuffles across and shoulders Niamh Charles off the ball forcing it out of play for a Paris throw in.
The visitors feed the ball through the middle of the pitch and slip and nice pass into the feet of Clara Mateo. Mateo weaves into the penalty and loses possession.
She goes down looking for a penalty but the referee lets play go on and there are a few boos from the ground for the ease at which Mateo hit the deck.
Evidently the Chelsea supporters remember the soft penalty that Real Madrid earned against them last week.
Chelsea 0-0 Paris FC
3 mins: Lauren James brings the ball down the left-hand channel before laying it off to Erin Cuthbert. Cuthbert energetically shuffles her way up to the box before flicking the ball across to Niamh Charles who makes an overlapping run.
Charles drills a low cross towards the near post aiming to find Sam Kerr but Chiamaka Nndozie leaps onto the ball and smothers it before the Chelsea captain can get there.
Kick off! Chelsea 0-0 Paris FC
Paris get the ball rolling at Stamford Bridge and boot it over to the right wing. There’s a coming together between Lauren James and Getane Thiney with the Chelsea forward winning a free kick.
Chelsea vs Paris FC
Here come the teams. Sam Kerr leads out Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Can she help the Blues to a win tonight?
Kick off is up next...
Chelsea vs Paris FC
Emma Hayes on playing at Stamford Bridge: “I do feel like Stamford Bridge is becoming more familiar, and the more you play there, the better it will be for us.
“The team doesn’t mind where they are, but we understand for our growth and for competition regulation requirements, we have to be at Stamford Bridge – and we embrace that.”
Chelsea vs Paris FC
Sam Kerr captains Chelsea in the absence of Millie Bright this evening and she spoke about the threat that Paris hold saying: "[Paris] are riding a wave at the moment: that can be dangerous.
“You saw with the results against Wolfsburg and Arsenal. To beat two really good teams ... it shows they are an amazing team. You can’t take any team lightly in the Champions League."
Chelsea vs Paris FC
Paris coach, Sandrine Soubeyrand, on playing Chelsea tonight: "[Chelsea] are a team capable of counter-pressing: a quality opponent.
“The objective will be to be more efficient at both ends, but also to have fun. There should be no regrets."
Chelsea vs Paris FC
Emma Hayes has made a couple of changes to the Chelsea side that started against Real Madrid last time out in the Women’s Champions League.
Millie Bright hasn’t recovered from her knee problem so drops out of the team with Kadeisha Buchanan replacing her in the back line.
Fran Kirby is the other absentee as Lauren James starts in her stead.
Chelsea vs Paris FC
Paris FC are second in the French league, three points behind Lyon, following Sunday’s hard-fought 1-0 win against Bordeaux.
Clara Matéo, score the winner in that match and was one of only five players who also started in the Champions League loss to Häcken last week.
How will the French side fare at Stamford Bridge tonight?
Chelsea ‘robbed’ by ‘embarrassing’ referee in Real Madrid draw, fumes Emma Hayes
Emma Hayes felt her Chelsea side had been “robbed” after they were held 2-2 at Real Madrid in their Women’s Champions League opener.
In a contest with no VAR in operation, Real equalised through a 79th-minute Olga Carmona penalty awarded by referee Frida Klarlund for a Jessie Fleming challenge on Athenea del Castillo – which Hayes had no doubt took place outside the box.
The Chelsea manager was also unhappy about Niamh Charles’ finish being disallowed in stoppage time, seemingly for offside, stressing that Charles had been onside and Sam Kerr had not interfered with goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez.
Chelsea ‘robbed’ by ‘embarrassing’ referee in Real Madrid draw, fumes Emma Hayes
Hayes felt Real’s late penalty should not have been awarded and does not know why Niamh Charles’ last-gasp strike was ruled out
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